Former Tempe Pastor Accused of Child Sex Abuse

By Adriana Loya
12news.com
January 19, 2021

https://www.12news.com/article/news/tempe-pastor-accused-of-child-sex-crimes/75-012cc0e4-7708-4405-9098-05fbf3c6b77e

After a six-month investigation, Tempe Police arrested 48-year-old Mario Rodriguez-Ramirez on child sexual abuse accusations.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misstated the charges the suspect was facing. He is facing one felony charge.

A man known in his community as being devoted to God is now facing child abuse allegations.

A six-month investigation led Tempe police to the arrest of 48-year-old Mario Rodriguez-Ramirez, a man who was once a pastor.

Police say the abuse began in 2015, when the little girl was 9 years old.

Rodriguez-Ramirez took the victim and two other children to Kiwanis Park in Tempe, police say.

There, he allegedly hugged and kissed the girl when she reached the ground after going down the slide, police say.