Former San Jose youth pastor arrested in child sexual abuse case
SAN JOSE – A man who served as a youth pastor at a San Jose church was arrested in connection with a child sexual abuse case, police said Monday.
Detectives launched an investigation back in January following a report of a sexual assault of a minor that began in 2014. The victim told investigators that she was sexually assaulted between 2014 and 2018 when she was a minor.
During the investigation, detectives identified the suspect as Brett Bymaster, who had served as a youth pastor at River Church Community in San Jose at the time. Bymaster had also volunteered at afterschool programs outside the church.
More recently, Bymaster had served as executive director of the Healing Grove Health Center.
On Thursday, detectives located Bymaster in the Central Valley community of Manteca. Bymaster, 47, was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor.
According to jail records, Bymaster is being held on $400,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
Anyone with information about the case or similar cases are urged to contact Detective Camarillo of the SJPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force over email or by calling 408-273-2959.