GAITHERSBURG (MD)
WUSA - ABC 9 [Washington, DC]
December 22, 2025
By Matt Pusatory
Derwood, Md. — A Maryland church teacher in Derwood was sentenced Monday for sexual abuse charges.
Ervin Alfaro-Lopez, 34, of Germantown, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars by a Circuit Court judge in Montgomery County. Alfaro-Lopez pleaded guilty in February to one count of sexual abuse of a minor and three counts of third-degree sex offense.
In May of 2023, detectives with the police department’s Special Victims Investigations Division opened an investigation after a victim reported being sexually abused by a teacher at a Derwood church located near the 15700 block of Crabbs Branch Way in Montgomery County.
Pastor Bernal Osorio with the Elim Giathersburg Church confirmed to WUSA9 that the alleged abuse happened in their Derwood location.
After the first victim came forward in May, police say three more victims came forward between September 2023 and January 2024. All of the victims claimed to have been sexually abused by the same man at the same church.
Police said the abuse happened between 2016 and 2018.
All of the victims were between the ages of 6 and 12 years old at the time of the abuse.
In March 2024, detectives got an arrest warrant, charging Alfaro-Lopez with multiple offenses, including sex abuse of a minor, second-degree sex offense, and third-degree sex offense; Alfaro-Lopez was between the ages of 25 and 27 years old at the time of the alleged crimes.
Court documents indicate that Alfaro-Lopez inappropriately touched his students when the kids were in the dark, watching movies, or when they had their eyes closed for prayer.
The charging documents also state that Alfaro-Lopez admitted to the church’s pastor that he had touched a girl inappropriately, and that it was “dealt with internally.”
Osorio told WUSA9 that his church cooperated with the police investigation. “We don’t know people’s hearts. At first, we were shocked. How could this be possible? But as details came to light, we were outraged. I pity the people who make these decisions,” he added.
Osorio says these allegations have divided his congregation, and he hopes that if there are more victims, they call the police.