A Hesperia pastor is in custody following an investigation into allegations he sexually abused two minor girls in his care as a foster parent.
Jose Manuel Lozano is awaiting trial at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto, where he is being held on $5 million bail. Investigators described his alleged victims as girls aged 16 and 10.
Jose Manuel Lozano
(Hesperia Police Department)
The 54-year-old Hesperia resident led bilingual services for a predominantly Latino-Spanish congregation at Zion Assembly Church of God Hesperia, an affiliate of Zion Assembly Church of God International, headquartered in Tennessee . A representative for the latter said in an interview that the organization condemned Lozano’s “impiety” and that he was removed from his position on March 15, when the allegations came to light. He was arrested last week.
Pastors from nearby churches expressed shock and dismay upon hearing of Lozano’s arrest.
“It just reminds us of all the ways we have systems to protect children,” said Tom Beasley, pastor of Hesperia Community Church. He said he did not know Lozano personally, nor any of his followers.
“We have to do our due diligence,” Beasley said of his role as pastor. “It’s a broken world we live in.”
Lewis Busch, pastor of nearby Zion Lutheran Church and School, said he felt “deep sadness” upon hearing of the arrest. He said he also felt concern for young people and anxiety about the potential ramifications for the ministry’s work.
“Our goal is to help people and heal people,” Busch said. He fears that Lozano’s arrest has further tarnished the reputation of the clergy.
Zion Hesperia Assembly Church of God is holding services in Lozano’s absence with interim pastor Henry Rodriguez in his place. Rodriguez did not respond to The Times’ request for comment, and the church’s Instagram and Facebook pages have been deleted.
Since 2018, Lozano’s congregation had been renting space at Sovereign Way Christian Church, according to that church’s pastor, Stephen Feinstein. He said he knew Zion Assembly Hesperia Church of God as a good tenant who communicated well. The news “was a real shock,” he said.
He said the Sovereign Way Christian Church campus has security cameras in almost every room, but law enforcement has not requested any video.
“Sexual abuse is a problem in all institutional settings,” Feinstein said.
Local authorities believe Lozano may have targeted other victims, and authorities are asking anyone with information to contact San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Frankie Zavala at the Hesperia station at (760) 947-1500 or call an anonymous line at 1-800-78. -CRIME (27463).
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