Geronimo Aguilar

Geronimo 'Pastor G' Aguilar founded the Richmond Outreach Center (ROC) in Richmond, Virginia in 2001. The church was named one of the fastest-growing churches in America and became a prominent megachurch under his leadership. Aguilar sexually abused two sisters, beginning when they were 11 and 13 years old. The abuse occurred in the 1990s while Aguilar was a pastor at their church in Texas, before he founded the ROC. He surrendered to U.S. Marshals in June 2013 and was extradited to Texas to face felony charges. A Tarrant County jury convicted Aguilar on all seven counts after less than four hours of deliberation: two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, three counts of sexual assault of a child younger than 17, and two counts of indecency with a child. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison (20 years on the most serious counts, 20 years concurrent on the others). He must serve 20 years before being eligible for parole. His appeal was denied in 2017. The ROC was subsequently renamed Celebration Church and Outreach Ministry.