Hacienda Heights pastor arrested on child molestation charges, detectives seek additional victims

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(LASD)

HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. - The head pastor of a Hacienda Heights church was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl when she was 12 through 18 years old, and two additional victims have been identified, authorities announced Wednesday.  

Jonathan Tsai was arrested on July 21 at his home and booked at the sheriff's Walnut Station on $1.4 million bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.  

A woman told authorities on Jan. 9 that Tsai, who was her youth pastor, sexually assaulted her for six years, starting when she was 12, the sheriff's department reported.  

Her family was members of the Home of Christians Eastern Los Angeles church, located at 1145 S. Hacienda Blvd., according to the sheriff's department.

Tsai is now the head pastor at the church, which has been renamed Abundant Life Ministries.  

Tsai, who became close with her family, would visit the family's home and sexually assault the victim, according to detectives, who also identified two other victims who allege similar sexual assaults by Tsai when they were children.  

Tsai was charged with four counts of lewd acts on a child under 14years old, one count of oral copulation of a person under 16 and one count of sexual penetration of a person under 16, the sheriff's department said.  

Tsai was released on bond on July 24, and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 26.  

Detectives believe there may be additional victims, and they encouraged anyone with information to contact the Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273.

Those wishing to report anonymously can call 800-222-TIPS.

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