Preliminary hearing date set for accused priest
Archdiocese of Los Angeles photo
The case against former Downey priest Jaime Arriaga Pedroza, accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl while serving at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, is expected to have his preliminary hearing on Monday, Sept. 15, at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Pedroza, 41, was arrested on April 3 after surrendering to detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Special Victims Bureau. He has been held without bail since his arraignment on April 7, when he pleaded not guilty.
In the case The People of the State of California vs. Jaime Arriaga Pedroza, he faces six felony charges of sexual abuse from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, according to court documents.
The charges detail that Pedroza allegedly committed one count of lewd acts upon a child aged 14 or 15 by a person at least 10 years older with the intent of arousing, appealing and gratifying his sexual desires on or about Feb 8, 2025.
The court documents show he allegedly assaulted the 14-year-old girl, referred to as Jane Doe, four additional times on or between Feb. 9, 2025, and March 21, 2025.
Pedroza is also accused by the county DA of one count of assault with intent to commit rape, sodomy oral copulation on a child under 18, on or about March 22, 2025.
In the felony complaint, it is further alleged that the way Pedroza carried out the offense “indicates planning, sophistication and professionalism.”
If convicted, Pedroza could face up to 14 years in state prison and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Despite the allegations, Pedroza was greeted by a group of about a dozen supporters when he entered the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center courtroom on June 6. The group, composed mainly of women and wearing predominantly white, stood when he was brought into the courtroom and again when the bailiff took him away.
Pedroza’s attorney, Anthony Raul Garcia, identified the group as supporters and said they included “parishioners and family members.”
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles removed Pedroza from his position on April 2, the day before his arrest, after receiving a report of alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor.
“The archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and the reporting and prevention of abuse,” reads the Archdiocese statement. “Allegations of misconduct against anyone serving in the Archdiocese are reported to law enforcement, fully investigated and, under the Zero-Tolerance Policy, anyone who is found to have harmed a minor is permanently removed from any capacity in the Archdiocese.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman described the allegations as “unconscionable criminal conduct by a trusted religious leader” in a statement after the charges were filed.
“I commend the bravery of the young victim for coming forward under such difficult circumstances,” said Hochman. “We are working closely with law enforcement and urge the public to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with any information on the defendant or potential additional victims.”
LASD detectives believe there may be additional victims, given the nature of the offenses in this case. They have urged anyone with additional information to contact the LASD at (877) 710-5273 or to report anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
Pedroza served as a transitional deacon at St. Louis of France Catholic Church in La Puente from June to December 2023 before his assignment to Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Downey in January 2024.
The explicit details of the alleged violations are described in additional court documents, including the search warrant from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau, which was used to obtain a DNA swab from Pedroza, and the motion to detain the former associate pastor without bail.