New Trial Date Set for Priest Accused of Child Molestation

Record Searchlight
November 30, 2012

http://www.redding.com/news/2012/nov/30/new-trial-date-set-priest-accused-child-molestatio/

Ojeda is charged with seven felony counts of child molestation.

A new trial date was set today in Sacramento County Superior Court for a suspended Redding priest charged with seven felony counts of child molestation, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County district attorney's office said.

The Rev. Uriel Ojeda, 33, who had been scheduled to begin standing trial next week, is now set to have his trial begin on April 11, the spokeswoman said. He also has a trial readiness conference scheduled for April 5.

The spokeswoman did not know the reason for the trial postponement.

Ojeda, who was arrested Nov. 30, 2011, is accused of seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a teenage girl over a two-year span — starting when she was 14 — in Sacramento and Shasta counties, according to the criminal complaint.

Ojeda was the assistant pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Redding at the time of his arrest.

He is free of jail custody on $700,000 bail.