Published
10 months agoon
Sheriff’s detectives arrested a Del Rey minister on Thursday for alleged sexual abuse of a child under 14 years old.
Bernardino Villalobos (Fresno County SO)
Bernardino Villalobos, 64, was booked into Fresno County Jail and his bail was set at $40,000.
Villalobos is a registered sex offender who served prison time for rape and sodomy. According to the California Megan’s Law website, he was released from prison in 1994.
Detectives began their investigation into Villalobos after being told that he sexually abused a child in 2017, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
During their inquiries, detectives learned that Villalobos owns the La Obra De Jesus Christian Church at 5433 S. Academy Ave. in Del Rey.
Detectives are concerned that there might be more victims of Villalobos. Anyone with information is asked to contact sheriff’s detective Andrew Moreno at (559) 600-8222 or (559) 600-8144.
Tipsters may also contact Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867 or at this link. Those who provide information to Valley Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may receive a cash reward.
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email