The former pastor of a non-denominational Christian church in Buena Park molested an 8-year-old female friend of his daughter’s and had multiple videos and images of child pornography on his computers, a prosecutor told jurors Monday.
The attorney for Christopher Raymond Olague, 43, said that while his client may be guilty of some crimes, he did not molest the girl.
When he was arrested in October 2011, Olague was the pastor of Refuge Southland Church at 6711 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. The church’s website at the time featured a photo of the defendant and his wife of 14 years, along with their five daughters who ranged in age from 25 to 6.
The alleged victim, who is now 12, testified that she met one of the defendant’s daughters through a sister, who was a friend of another of Olague’s daughters.
Olague called the girl on Oct. 5, 2011, and asked her if she wanted to go to Toys R Us with him and his daughter, according to Deputy District Attorney Lexie Elliott.
“Instead of a play date, he abducted and molested her,” Elliott alleged.
He drove by the Toys R Us store, which was closed, so he moved on to a park, Elliott said. The girl was nervous because her friend wasn’t in the car when the defendant picked her up, as she had expected, and he made her sit in the front seat with him, the prosecutor said.
When they arrived at the Huntington Beach park, “she’s crying, she’s scared at this point,” Elliott said.
Olague asked her if he could kiss her cheek and she refused, Elliott said. He also said he wanted to hold her hand, but the girl said she didn’t like to be touched, according to the prosecutor.
Olague allegedly then moved to unzip his pants.
“She sees the top of his underwear now and she’s terrified,” Elliott said.
Olague rubbed her legs, but backed off because she was “hysterical,” the prosecutor alleged.
The defendant gave the girl two $20 bills, which she refused, but he insisted she take the money and then drove her home, warning her not to tell anyone, Elliott alleged.
The girl did not immediately tell her parents. But when the defendant called her on the phone and she was crying, her mother asked what was wrong, Elliott said. When the girl relayed what allegedly happened, her parents called police, Elliott said.
Police directed the girl to make three “covert calls” to the defendant with investigators listening in, Elliott said.
Jurors heard a portion of a call in which Olague apologizes for touching the girl’s leg and promises, “I won’t do that ever again.”
The defendant offers to pay her more money and advises her not to tell anyone or he will be in “really big trouble” and it would hurt her friend, his daughter, Elliott said.
Police arrested Olague during a traffic stop and seized the defendant’s laptop computer, Elliott said. Investigators also searched another computer in his Westminster home and a USB device, the prosecutor said.
Investigators found images of “child erotica” with “scantily clad” girls 8 to 10 years old, as well as “very explicit photographs” and multiple videos of child pornography on the devices, Elliott alleged.
Defense attorney Mark Fredrick said his client’s daughter was not allowed to play with the alleged victim for a few weeks before the allegations because the girl had stolen money from one of Olague’s daughters. But on the day of the alleged molestation, it was decided to reunite the two friends, Fredrick said.
The two girls were supposed to play in the park that day, but it was raining heavily and the other girl and her grandparents went home before Olague and his daughter’s friend arrived, Fredrick said.
Olague did not molest the girl and he “never exposed himself to her,” Fredrick told jurors.
The laptop belonged to Olague, but the computer in his home was used by his wife, Fredrick said. Some explicit images that the prosecutor alleged were of a relative of the defendant were actually taken by a child, according to the defense attorney.
“You’re going to find (Olague) guilty of something, but he’s terribly over-charged and he’s not guilty of all the charges,” Fredrick said.
— Wire reports