The pastor of an Avoca church was arrested Wednesday in connection with the sexual assault of two teenage girls in his congregation, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Cesar Lopez, 59, of Rogers was arrested by the Benton County Sheriff's Office after a month-long investigation, according to the documents. The documents don't name the church.
Lopez's lawyer, Monzer Mansour, said Thursday that Lopez denies any wrongdoing and will defend his innocence accordingly.
The investigation began with a tip to the Arkansas State Police hotline that a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl had been molested by the pastor of an Avoca church that they attended.
Investigators interviewed the 15-year-old girl, who said Lopez had touched her inappropriately multiple times, according to the affidavit. She told investigators she had known Lopez since she was 6 and thought of him as a grandfather.
The 16-year-old girl told investigators Lopez had touched her in ways that made her uncomfortable but didn't say anything in case it was a misunderstanding, the affidavit stated.
Lopez was being held Thursday in the Benton County jail with no bond set.