“Why was he in my house?” she said. “It took me a really, really long time to stop asking myself that question, and I still don’t have an answer.”
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Now that Guardia has been convicted, Columna feels a sense of relief and vindication.
“As powerful as that position of authority as a pastor may seem and as powerful as that church may seem, [victims] have power too,” she said.
According to Inside Edition, Guardia formerly worked for the SBC of Virginia (SBCV). It is unclear in what role he served.
In a statement, the SBCV said, “Sergio Guardia is no longer employed by the SBC of Virginia. He resigned in November. We have been made aware that he is dealing with legal matters, and because of the legalities involved we have no further comment.”
“We continue to pray for the Guardia family during this time,” the statement added.
Guardia’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
ChurchLeaders has reached out to Thomas Road Baptist Church for comment and will update this article in the event of a response.
