GREELEY — A former church leader at La Iglesia De Restoration church in Greeley has been arrested and faces charges of sexual assault on a child after a 16-year-old girl came forward about an intimate relationship with him, according to an arrest affidavit from Greeley Police.
Nison Yovani Lemus-Alvarez, 37, faces charges of sexual assault on a child-position of trust and sexual assault on a child - pattern of abuse.
According to the affidavit, the alleged victim's mother called police in October 2017 when her daughter told her she had a relationship with Lemus-Alvarez. The mother, whose daughter was a volunteer at La Iglesia De Restoration Church, told detectives after her daughter disclosed the alleged abuse they had a meeting with Lemus-Alvarez. During that meeting, she told detectives that he admitted to kissing her daughter.
Her mother also stated there were text messages between the two "where he tells her that he loves her," the affidavit says.
However, during an interview with police, the victim stated that "the only things that happened between them was him touching her hands and giving hugs." According to the arrest report, she told the detective she had lied to her mother when she said, "the defendant had touched her part."
Following her interview, police suspended the case because the alleged victim would not cooperate.
In April 2018, the alleged victim contacted police and asked them to reopen the case.
During a second interview with the victim, she told police she lied during the first interview, because, "the defendant told her not to tell anyone."
She told detectives the first alleged incident happened in July or August of 2017 when Lemus-Alvarez began picking her alone. Prior to that, she told police his wife and children were with him.
In that first incident, she told police Lemus-Alvarez parked far away from the house and kissed her. According to the arrest report, she got out of the car when he tried to kiss her a second time.
After that, the alleged victim told police they kissed for a "couple of months". Lemus-Alvarez told her "he had fallen in love with her," the affidavit says.
Eventually, the victim told police they engaged in inappropriate touching that did not include sexual intercourse.
Lemus-Alvarez was arrested July 10 and is being held at the Weld County Jail on $75,000 bail.
He has also been removed from his leadership role at La Iglesia De Restoration.
