King County prosecutors have charged a former youth program director at the Puyallup YMCA with three child-sex crimes.
Luis A. Rodriguez, 25, is to be arraigned Dec. 19 on single felony counts of third-degree child molestation, second-degree child molestation and third-degree child rape, court records show.
Prosecutors intend to ask that Rodriquez, also a former assistant football coach at Cascade Christian High School, be jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail, the records show.
“He used his position of authority with young men to groom them in order to commit his crimes,” deputy prosecutor Charles K. Sergis wrote in his request for bail. “He violated their trust and that of their guardians and cannot be trusted in the community as an individual with an untreated sexual deviancy.”
YMCA officials have said none of the alleged victims were members of the Puyallup Y.
Tacoma attorney Donald Winskill, who represents Rodriguez, declined to comment Thursday, saying he’s yet to see the police reports and other evidence against his client.
“We’re a bit in the dark,” Winskill said.
Rodriguez, who passed extensive background checks before being hired, was fired from his jobs at the YMCA and Cascade Christian in October when the allegations against him came to light. He also lost his position as a volunteer in the student ministries department at Champions Centre church.
Prosecutors have charged Rodriguez, who lives in Lacey, with having sexual contact with two boys between 2007 and 2009. One of the boys was 13 years old when the alleged abuse began, the other 15, court records show.
One of the alleged victims, now 18, told authorities he knew Rodriguez from church and once went to his home when Rodriguez lived in Federal Way. Rodriguez inappropriately touched him and convinced the boy, then 15, to reciprocate, court records show.
“He stated that he was in shock and did not know what to say or how to protest even though he did not want to be touched by Luis,” the records state.
The other alleged victim told police that when he was 13 he shared a bed with Rodriguez during a sleep over at the Federal Way home and that the man inappropriately touched him, court records show. On another occasion, the two engaged in sex acts, the records state.
Prosecutors detailed other incidents of Rodriguez allegedly having sex with teenage boys but those cases have not been charged. Some of that alleged abuse occurred in a house on Champion Centre grounds while Rodriguez was attending a mentoring program there, court records show.
“Recent allegations regarding a trusted volunteer in our student ministries department have shocked our church community,” Champions Centre officials said in a news release issued in October. “We are devastated, and our first and foremost concern is for the students and families involved.”
What’s with the Christian based child molestation, how’s that work? I kinda think that’s worse than the Penn State molester m.o. Dang. These pervs need to be locked up for life, maybe they’ll get some jail house loven to satisfy their twisted needs. Freakshow behavior every where you turn now days.
One’s sexual proclivities are not predicated on one’s religious affiliation or athletic aptitude. I think they’ve always been there, we’re just more aware and concerned about them these days.
GeronimoV,
Back in the day, sexual interaction with younger people by adults was not looked into, and some people viewed it as normal. A lot of people still, particularly older people don’t believe the victim, saying they are crazy because the victim claims it happened.
If (when) found guily, please kill him. Does NOT deserve to live.
Who’s got the evidence? I mean that made up stuff happens
all the time. Can’t we get back to the point when physical
evidence matters?
I hate that they start the article about the Y but none of the victims (so far) have been affiliated with the Y. Why doesn’t it start with the church?
Frogfaced, I totally agree. There should be a call to the news paper, as I am fully apprised of champion centre and my family is close with one of the victims and their family. The other fact that is very disturbing is the lack of depth of which champion centre is talked about. I gaurentee they are doing damage control. Why did they call it a mentoring program?? when it is really thier “bible college” or leadership school Lou was attending?? why??? because then they would look bad! For a place that claims to have insight and “discernment”, there are always always always huge red flags, to someones character and actions that rape and molest children. Lets stop candy coating and really talk about the truth.
Who conducted his background check, “Joe Paterno Investigations” ?
Once I see 2 or more individuals relating the same story I get really worried that the stuff is true. Then I think about the victims not the perp! The perp can go to Hell as far as I’m concerned, so can the organizations but I don’t blame the organizations unless they tried to cover something up. These perverts know how to get around things, lie, cheat, etc. They need to be removed from our society as the damage they cause is incalcuable. Support the victims.
I also agree with the inappropriate highlighting of the YMCA in the article and headline. Maybe mentioning it later in the article would have been better.
The YMCA asks for references and has each person complete a survey with questions with phrases ‘would you want this person to take care of your children?’ type. I know child molsters and they are very good at suckering people in with their lies. The Champions Centre did one thing correctly and that was to notify the Y (who fired the guy quickly). Who knows the timeline.
The YMCA backgroud check is laughable! Not the first time something like this has happened with within the Pierce and Kitsap YMCA’s. They don’t even drug test and there is NOTHING christian about the Y! Those pot smoking child molesting fake christians can shove it! As I recall a few years back there was quite a lawsuit against the Y because of some molesler counselors at YMCA’s Camp Seymore. I would never take my children there as long as I live!
@GreenBananaz please be aware that the situation at Camp Seymore occured in the 70′s(?) prior to background checks being standard proceedure.
@ValleyTart This gentelman started work at the Y long before any of these allocations, therefore it is unlikely there was anything to show up in the background check.
@Ttownmom I agree that it is bull honkey that Champion Center has managed to throw the spot-light as they don’t seem to have the proper checks in place to protect children (especially if their are allogations of activities on their campus!!)
Right now my heart goes out to all the kids at the Y late night who he never touched, who admired him as a man of God and a role model. I hope these kids are able to find solice and support in the other staff there. Frankly this whole thing has broken my heart. I truly admired him.
If there are 2 victims there’s definitely more to follow. There’s never just a couple victoms with these guys. Surrounding himself with teens is a definite indicator he’s hurt others. It’s just a matter of time before more come forward. I hope they all get the courage to speak and not hold it in. Good thing they caught him at 25 and not years from now distroying more lives.