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Norman Aviles-Garriga, 44 of Lancaster County, molested at least three young children between the ages of five and ten, as Daily Voice previously reported.
He has been sentenced to 11.5 to 23 years in prison for the sexual abuse, Attorney General Michelle Henry explained in an updated release.
Aviles-Garriga's status as an elder in his congregation helped him gain the trust of many parents and afforded him access to their children, as initially noted. The abuse happened between 1999 and 2003 in Lancaster City, according to the AG's releases on the case.
Aviles-Garriga was charged with multiple counts of the following: Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
He was found guilty on all 12 charges on Wednesday, June 5, according to AG's office.
“This defendant weaponized religion to gain community trust and proximity to abuse children, then took steps as an elder to have the victims discredited,” Attorney General Henry said. “The tenacity of investigators and the brave survivors of this abuse did not allow that to happen, and this predatory defendant is now held accountable.”
During meetings with other church elders, Aviles-Garriga called the victims “demons,” and supposedly retaliated by using his position to delay their baptisms. Aviles-Garriga was expelled from the church for months, but then allowed back, according to testimony.
“This defendant, who abused his position within the religious community and sexually assaulted multiple children, was sentenced to over a decade in state prison. He was also found to be a sexually violent predator, which will require lifetime registrations as a sex offender,” Attorney General Henry said. “The courage and strength these victims displayed is so admirable and appreciated. Even after the trauma they endured at the hands of this defendant, they came forward, they testified, and now this defendant stands convicted and sentenced for his heinous crimes.”
The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Angela Sperrazza.
Click here, here, here, or here to read our coverage of the other Jevonah's Witnesses charged following the AG's investigation in 2022 and 2023.
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