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Pastor pleads not guilty to sex with preteen girl

MURRIETA (Wire Service) - A former Marine and founder of an Oceanside church, who is accused of having a two-year sexual relationship with a preteen Murrieta girl, pleaded not guilty today to statutory rape and other felony charges.

Matthias Anderson, 41, of Hemet is charged with 25 counts of lewd acts on a child, seven counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one count each of sexual penetration with a foreign object and oral copulation of a minor.

Anderson appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Angel Bermudez, who set a bail review hearing for Nov. 15. The defendant, who was arrested last Tuesday, is in custody in lieu of $1 million bail at the

Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

According to Murrieta police, the victim and her mother are members of New Wine Ministries Church, which Anderson started in 2002 while stationed at Camp Pendleton. He has since retired from the Marine Corps and now ministers

full-time, according to Murrieta police Sgt. Phil Gomez.

The girl and her mother, whose names were withheld, came forward recently with allegations that the pastor had been molesting the youngster since 2009, the sergeant said.

"The sexual relationship ... occurred multiple times in both Riverside and San Diego counties," Gomez alleged.

Anderson would pick the girl up at her house on Walsh Center Drive and take her to another location, Gomez said. When the defendant showed up to retrieve the girl last Tuesday, Murrieta police officers were waiting to arrest

him, according to Gomez.

"Based on the investigation, detectives believe there is a possibility of additional victims in the Oceanside area," he said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Murrieta Police Department at (951) 696-3615.

(previous story, Mon. Nov. 7, 9 a.m.)

Arraignment of pastor charged with alleged sex acts with preteen girl scheduled for today

MURRIETA (Wire Service) - The founder of an Oceanside church and former Marine accused of having a two-year sexual relationship with a preteen Murrieta girl is slated to be arraigned today, Monday, Nov. 7.

Matthias Anderson, 41, of Hemet is charged with 25 counts of lewd acts on a child, seven counts of unlawful intercourse, and one count each of sexual penetration with a foreign object and oral copulation of a minor.

Anderson was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 1 and remains held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

According to Murrieta police, the girl and her mother are members of New Wine Ministries Church, which Anderson started in 2002 while stationed at Camp Pendleton. He has since retired from the Marine Corps and now ministers

full time.

Murrieta police Sgt. Phil Gomez said the girl and her mother, whose names were withheld, came forward recently with allegations that the pastor had been molesting the youngster since 2009.

"The sexual relationship ... occurred multiple times in both Riverside and San Diego counties," he alleged.

Anderson would pick the girl up at her house on Walsh Center Drive and take her to another location, the sergeant said. When he showed up to retrieve the girl last Tuesday, Murrieta police officers were waiting to arrest him, according to Gomez.

"Based on the investigation, detectives believe there is a possibility of additional victims in the Oceanside area," the sergeant said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Murrieta Police Department at (951) 696-3615.

(previous story, Nov. 2)

Pastor arrested for alleged sex acts with preteen girl

SAN DIEGO - A one-time Marine who founded an Oceanside church was behind bars today on suspicion of having a two-year sexual relationship with a preteen Riverside County girl.

Matthias Anderson, 41, was arrested at the alleged victim's Murrieta home Tuesday morning and booked on suspicion of unlawful sex with a minor and lewd acts with a child under 14.

The girl and her mother are members of New Wine Ministries Church, which Anderson started in 2002 while stationed at Camp Pendleton, according to Murrieta police Sgt. Phil Gomez. Anderson has since retired from the military and become a full-time minister, the sergeant said.

The alleged victim and her mother, whose names have not been released, came forward recently with accusations that the pastor had been molesting the girl since 2009, Gomez said.

''The sexual relationship ... occurred multiple times in both Riverside and San Diego counties,'' Gomez alleged.

Anderson, who lives in Hemet, allegedly would pick the girl up at her home and take her to another location to have sex with her, the sergeant said.

''Based on the investigation, detectives believe there is a possibility of additional victims in the Oceanside area,'' he said.

Anderson was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

 

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