Youth pastor arrested on child rape charges

STANWOOD, Wash. — Detectives arrested a 26-year-old Stanwood man on child rape charges Tuesday.

The victim, who was 15 at the time, was attending a church in Arlington where the man was working as a youth pastor in 2017 and 2018.

The man, who was 22 at the time, began grooming the victim while driving her home from church and chatting with her through social media, according to a news release from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit.

Detectives said the man persuaded the girl to sneak out of her home on multiple occasions. He then picked her up and drove her to his home in Stanwood.

Once detectives were able to develop probable cause, the man was arrested on three counts of third-degree child rape.

Detectives believe there may be other victims. Anyone with information is asked to call the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 425-388-3845.

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