Aguilar’s former ROC assistant testifies about hush money, sexual affair

WRIC ABC News 8, Virginia/June 18, 2015

By Kerri O'Brien

Tarrant County, Texas -- In a surprise move, the state of Texas rests it’s case against the founder of the ROC Church. Geronimo Aguilar is accused of sexually assaulting two girls in Texas in the late 1990s.

The prosecution’s witness list was long, it originally contained the names of more than 50 people prosecutors planned to call to the stand.Thursday, they were not even half way through the witness list when the state announced it was resting its case.

The decision came after a day of scathing testimony.

Jammie Chasteen, who was Geronimo Aguilar’s’ personal assistant at the ROC Church in Richmond, told the jury, “Yes, I have wired transfers, money orders.”

She testified that on several occasions, the former ROC pastor had her wire what seemed like hush money to one of the alleged victim’s mom.

“He told me that she was a woman he would always take care of,” said Chasteen.

She also told the jury Aguilar instructed her to never tell his wife about it. Prosecutors presented into evidence records of the Western Union transactions.

Chasteen then told the jury she carried on a 10-year affair with the married pastor, having sex all over the church.

“Everywhere…the sanctuary, his office, there was school, the science lab, the gymnasium,” claimed Chasteen.

Aguilar’s defense team didn’t deny the affair, but portrayed Chasteen as a scorned woman looking for revenge but more damning testimony came from a Texas minister and a man who works in private security. Both testified Aguilar admitted to having sex with a minor.

Clement Ray told jurors, “He just said I am sorry I love little (alleged victims name). I want to be her and I don’t want to go to jail, I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“He became extremely distraught, began to weep cry he grabbed my knee and said basically what he said over and over I don’t want to go to jail over this,” said Mark Zaragoza, a minister.

The trial takes a break on Friday. It will resume Monday morning. The defense has said Geronimo Aguilar will testify on his own behalf.

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