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Lawyers of former ROC pastor filed for protective order

Posted at 8:45 AM, Jul 02, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-02 19:14:29-04

RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) - The former pastor of the Richmond Outreach Center (ROC) appeared inside a Texas courtroom Tuesday.  Geronimo Aguilar, also known as Pastor G, faces charges that he sexually assaulted two girls in the 1990s.

Last week Aguilar's defense team filed for a protective order against the investigators working with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office.  David Carlson, Aguilar's attorney, says one of those investigators contacted another one of his clients, and was asking about a May 30th conversation that client had with Aguilar.

Carlson wouldn’t go into the nature of the call, but says he became suspicious about the conversation. Carlson told CBS 6 the investigator would not tell him the reason why he called, but Carlson believes it was a violation of attorney/client privilege.

Carlson also said that client knows Aguilar, but would not say what kind of relationship they had, and that the person is not connected to the case currently before the courts.

Carlson said it wasn’t a courtroom hearing, but both parties met in the judge’s chambers for roughly three hours to hash out the matter.

Prosecutors denied having any involvement and the judge said he wants everyone to play by the rules.Carlson said he was assured by prosecutors that they did not participate in any illegal activity

[Click here to view CBS 6 coverage of this case]

Aguilar is charged with seven felonies related to allegations he sexually assaulted two sisters 17 years ago in Fort Worth, Texas. Aguilar later moved to Richmond and founded the ROC church.

Aguilar, a father of five, resigned from the ROC in June.  Following his resignation, three other pastors: Matthew Aguilar, Andrew Delgado and Jason Helmlinger also stepped down for various reasons.

If convicted, Aguilar could be sentenced to life in prison.

The ROC is still continuing its search for a new pastor.