Fresno pastor arrested after admitting to sexual relationship with minor, Merced police say

A Fresno pastor has been arrested for allegedly being involved in a sexual relationship with a minor, authorities said.

Christopher Robert Garcia, 36, arrived at the Merced Police Department on Wednesday and reported unlawful sexual conduct, according to a police Facebook post.

Police said Garcia informed officers that he is a pastor and used to live in the Merced area. Garcia wanted to confess an inappropriate relationship he was having with a minor, according to police, and told detectives the relationship began in 2019 on a social media site.

Garcia told police he was aware the person with whom he was communicating with was a minor and on several occasions met up with the minor and performed various sexual acts, the release stated.

He was arrested and booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under 16; lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14; sexual penetration with foreign object — victim has mental defect or developmental disability; and lewd act — victim under 14 years with defendant 10 years older, according to jail records.

Garcia remains in custody in lieu of $450,000 bond. The release did not state which church he belonged to either currently or in the past or if the victim is from the Merced or Fresno area.

Anyone with information regarding this alleged crime is asked to contact Det. Gorman at 209-388-7715 or gormana@cityofmerced.org.

Some crimes can be reported through the Merced Police Department website and anonymous tips can be left by calling 209-385-4725.

Anonymous tips can also be left for law enforcement through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.

This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 6:00 PM.