An Orange County youth pastor was arrested Tuesday and charged with child sexual battery, and deputies are looking for others who may have had inappropriate contact with him.

  • Youth pastor accused of child rape, kidnapping
  • Samuel Pierre works at church on South Rio Grande Avenue
  • Deputies seek others who may have had contact with him

Samuel Pierre, 35, of Tabernacle Prayer and Miracles International on South Rio Grande Avenue faces charges of first degree kidnapping and sexual battery on a child under 12.

According to a Sheriff's Office incident report, a parent contacted deputies Nov. 3 after she noticed the girl hadn't been acting the same since an incident in August. The parent told deputies that on Aug. 8, Pierre picked her up for what she thought was a youth group gathering at her church. But the girl said that instead, Pierre didn't pick up any other kids but took her, alone, to a home on Spring Land Drive, where he sexually assaulted her.

"The mother did notice that the child, her behavior, she became quiet. She noticed a change in her grades, and Mom started opening up the dialogue," Orange County Sheriff's Office Det. Michael Kleinfelt said. "It took a little bit, but she was able to open up the dialogue with her daughter and really find out exactly what had happened to her."

Pierre was booked into the Orange County Jail on Tuesday night on no bond. According to court records, Pierre was previously charged in a child rape case stemming from a 2009 incident in Orange County.

"Start by believing and talk to your children, open the dialogue for them," Kleinfelt said. "Let them know they won't be in trouble for talking about what happened to them and let them know that they are safe."

Anyone with information on Pierre or who thinks they may have had inappropriate contact with him is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.