Pastor turns himself in after being named person of interest in sexual assault of minor at Covina hotel: Police
02/11/2018 1:05 pm PST
By Kristina Bravo, KTLA
LOS ANGELES -- (KTLA) -- A pastor linked to the sexual assault of a girl at a Covina hotel earlier this week has surrendered, police said Sunday.
Douglas Rivera, 40, turned himself in to the Covina Police Department two days after the agency released surveillance images of a man accused of sexually assaulting one of two minors staying at Vanllee Hotel and Suites.
Investigators said the man watched the girls -- a 10- and 12-year-old who were part of a Chinese tourist group -- from the hotel's parking lot and masturbated in his truck before going to their room and attacking one of them.
Police later said they were looking for Rivera, who appeared to be a pastor at God's Gypsy Christian Church in Glendale.
Rivera released a video on Friday, saying he was innocent and planned to turn himself in on Wednesday.
Rivera was taken into custody Sunday morning “without incident” and was being held at the Covina Police Department, the agency said in a tweet.
