By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

A Kissimmee pastor arrested for molesting a 16-year-old boy who attended the church regarded the clergyman as a father figure, according to law enforcement officials.

Kissimmee police May 10 arrested Angel Perez, 45, pastor at Templo Pentecostal Puerto De Salvation, 2244 W. Columbia Ave., and charged him with unlawful sexual activity with certain minors.

Perez was booked into the Osceola County Jail on no bond.  However, he was given a $3,000 bond by a judge and bonded out of jail May 18, Osceola County spokesman Larry Krause said.

Perez is prohibited from contact with anyone under the age of 18 without a parent or guardian present, a stipulation of his bond, according to court records.

An anonymous caller alerted police May 8 about sexual activity between the pastor and the boy.

Perez, in September, allegedly woke the boy with oral sex during a sleep over at the pastor’s Kissimmee home, located in the Arbors of Sendera complex, according to police reports. The boy told police he didn’t tell anyone at the time because he was afraid.

A second incident allegedly occurred in October, also at a sleep over at Perez’s house, when the pair went to sleep in the same bed and the pastor allegedly touched the boy’s private area. According to the police report, Perez told the boy the sexual act was OK because he was the boy’s pastor.

When the boy told him to stop, Perez allegedly told the juvenile he was “possessed by a demon” and did not know what was going on. The boy told police that he forgave Perez because he looked at him as a “father figure.”

Another incident allegedly occurred in January or February, at another sleep over at Perez’s home. The boy agreed to stay over again because, according to the police report, the boy didn’t think Perez would try another sexual advance.

Perez is alleged to have touched the boy’s sexual organ again during the visit, however the boy told him to stop and left the room to call a friend, who picked him up from the pastor’s home.

The pastor has since moved to the Polk County side in Poinciana, located at 318 Clearwater Lane.

Investigators said in the police report the boy told his mother about the incidents. She told her son not to tell anyone because she would be arrested and the Department of Children and Families would take his younger siblings away from her.

The mother told police she is “being neutral about the situation” and wanted to know the truth. She also declined to prosecute Perez on behalf of her son but told investigators her son wouldn’t have further contact with the pastor until the issue was resolved.

Police believe the mother and Perez may be involved in a romantic relationship.

The boy still was in his mother’s custody as of Tuesday afternoon; however, DCF has been notified of the situation, Kissimmee Police spokeswoman Stacie Miller said.

Additionally, the boy is suicidal, according to the police report, because “he feels no one will help him.”

The boy also told fellow church members about the incident at a May 8 meeting. The boy told police several of those members threatened him and stated they did not believe him.

Based on interviews with the teen and several members of the clergy, detectives attempted to interview Perez, but he was uncooperative. He was then arrested.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have been victimized by Perez or has knowledge of other victims to contact the Kissimmee Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at 407-846-3333, by email at seeitsayit@kissimmee.org or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477). Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous.

Suspect arrested for fake 911 call

Kissimmee police officers arrested a man Tuesday for misuse of the emergency 911 system after falsely reporting that he had been kidnapped.

Arrested was Lemuel Perez-Martinez, 23.

At approximately 9 p.m., the Kissimmee communication center received a 9-1-1 call from a male who reported that he had been kidnapped and was tied up and being held against his will.  

Officers were dispatched to 3226 Fox Squirrel Drive in Kissimmee.  Upon arrival, officers heard several males speaking in Spanish and laughing, Kissimmee police reports said.  Officers entered the home and found three intoxicated males. After a brief investigation, officers determined that no one was being held against their will in the home.  Perez-Martinez was still on the phone with the 9-1-1 dispatcher when officers arrived.

The other two males didn’t know he had called 911, Stacie Miller, police department spokeswoman said. He made two calls totaling 17 minutes.

Perez-Martinez was arrested for misuse of emergency 9-1-1 system and transported to the Osceola County Jail where he was being held on a $500 bond.

“The 9-1-1 system is to be used for emergencies only. Misusing the system ties up the lines and prevents citizens with a real need for assistance from receiving the priority they deserve,” said Police Chief Fran Iwanski.