A 24-year-old Mission Viejo church counselor was convicted Tuesday of molesting four girls.
Nicholas David Cruz was convicted of six felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14. He was acquitted of one felony count of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor involving a fifth accuser.
A woman called Orange County sheriff’s deputies in July 2019, accusing Cruz of molesting her child during a bus ride home from a summer camp outing in Irvine, police said.
Cruz was convicted of molesting most of the girls in December 2018, May 2019 and July 2019 on a school bus, according to court records. The victims were part of a Kids Club at Mission Viejo Christian Church, according to court records.
Two of the girls were 8 years old, police said.
Cruz, who began working at the church in December 2018, was fired from his part-time camp counselor job with 8- and 9-year-olds at Mission Viejo Christian Church, police said.