O.C. Church Volunteer Accused Of Having Sex With Girl He Mentored
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A father of two is at the center of an unlawful-sex investigation with a 14-year-old girl prosecutors say he mentored in church.
Vincent Lavello of Garden Grove was arrested and charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and lewd acts upon a child. He was being held at an Orange County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, reported KCAL9's Stacey Butler.
Neighbors say the 50-year-old Lavello was an active member and volunteer of Calvary Chapel WestGrove in Garden Grove.
"He was sort of acting as a confidant within this family. He sort of ingratiated himself into their lives. He then took advantage of that position in their lives," Lexie Elliott, a deputy district attorney, told Butler. "After several months of getting to know this girl, he then took it to a different level and began a sexual relationship with her."
The D.A.'s office says the allegations came to light after Lavello's wife found inappropriate text messages believed to have been between Lavello and the girl.
"She reported that to the pastor. They did bring it to light with the police," Elliott said.
Meanwhile, the pastor of Calvary Chapel WestGrove says Lavello was removed from his volunteer church position months before he was arrested but didn't disclose why.
The church declined to comment until the investigation is complete. However, authorities said church officials are cooperating.
Lavello is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 5 and faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail, if convicted. He also declined to be interviewed.
Police asked additional victims or those with more information about this case to call the Garden Grove Police Department, Detective Dave Young at (714) 741-5836 or Supervising District Attorney Investigator Kelly Core at (714) 347-8794.
