A former pastor facing child sex crime charges has been booked on additional charges related to similar alleged crimes. Yersson Solarte, formerly of Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana (IPUL) in Sanford, Florida, was initially arrested in May.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
When Solarte was initially arrested, the Sanford Police Department said that police began an investigation after responding to a report of “an inappropriate relationship between Solarte and two juvenile victims.”
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“During the investigation it was determined Solarte…did create or attempt to create an inappropriate relationship with the victims, did inappropriately touch the victims, and sexually assaulted one of the victims,” the Sanford Police Department said.
The abuse is alleged to have occurred in Solarte’s office at the church. He is accused of “forcefully” grabbing the face of one child to kiss her and molesting her in his office.
The child also alleged that Solarte told her during the assault that “we only live once” and that he and the victim were now “a couple.”
“Following these allegations, Solarte was removed from his role as Pastor. Both victims were members of Ipul Pentecostal Church,” the Sanford Police Department said. “As a result of the investigation, Sanford Police Investigators issued a warrant for Solarte’s arrest.”
On Nov. 21, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (VSO) released a statement saying that Solarte had been arrested for additional charges related to child sex crimes he allegedly committed at his home.
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In addition to the previous charges of sexual battery and lewd and lascivious molestation, Solarte now faces five counts of sexual battery on a victim under the age of 18.
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