Carmichael Pastor Swept up in Prostitution Sting Claims Innocence

By Bill Lindelof and Cathy Locke
Sacramento Bee
June 13, 2014

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/13/6481105/carmichael-pastor-among-those.html

John Oselsky

Two dozen adults – including a Carmichael pastor – and one minor were arrested Wednesday, accused of prostitution-related offenses, during a Sacramento County Sheriff's Department sting in North Highlands.

The undercover sting was conducted by the sheriff's north-area problem oriented policing team at several locations along Watt Avenue. The arrests occurred at Margaret Way, Winona Way, Longview Drive, at Myrtle Avenue and Polk Street, and in the 4800 block of Watt Avenue.

Among those arrested was the Rev. John Oselsky, the pastor of Grace Family Church, 4837 Marconi Ave. A Slavic community leader said Oselsky told him that he should never have been arrested.

Florin Ciuriuc, a friend who has acted as a Russian-speaking liaison with the sheriff’s department, has known the pastor for 20 years and spoke with him Thursday night.

“The guy believes that he 100 percent innocent,” said Ciuriuc.

Oselsky, on his way to check on new church property, stopped at a fast food parking lot on Watt to purchase a meal when he was approached by two women who knocked on his vehicle window, Ciuriuc said.

“He didn’t have a clue what they were saying,” said Ciuriuc.

Ciuriuc said that Oselsky was born in the Republic of Moldova and graduated from a bible institute in Bucharest, Romania. Oselsky speaks fluent Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian. But his English is not good, according to Ciuriuc.

Ciuriuc said that Oselsky never asked for an act of prostitution nor offered money. Oselsky had $13 in his wallet, said Ciuriuc.

“He said, ‘I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,’” according to Ciuriuc.

Other adults arrested on suspicion of prostitution-related offenses were: Allen Qiana, 30; Duane Boisvert, 34; Carlos Campos-Rodriguez, 40; Chaz Carter, 19; Luis Castro-Mancera, 31; Leonicio Cordova, 42; Marco Dominguez-Ronce, 31; Andrey Eryomenko, 27; Reynaldo Garcia, 38; Gustavo Gomez-Ambriz, 36; Angelique Jones, 22; Vitaliy Kryvyy, 30; Denee Mitchell, 20; David Nevezi, 27; Miguel Orozco, 38; Brian Page, 21; Armando Parra, 34; Karen Petrosyan, 39; Alex Ramo-Gutierrez, 25; Olushola Shekoni, 49; Harpreet Singh, 33; Serper Singh, 26; and Juan Xicara, 42.

In addition, Rashaud Granderson, 22, was arrested on suspicion of soliciting or agreeing to engage in prostitution and an outstanding warrant, and Daniel Langlois was arrested on Madison Avenue near Interstate 80 on outstanding warrants.