SANTA ANA — A Santa Ana pastor was convicted Monday of sexually assaulting three girls he met through churches in Riverside, Garden Grove and Santa Ana.

Carlos Ramirez Valdez, 61, was arrested in 2021. He was convicted of seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14 and three counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 or younger, all felonies. Jurors also found true a sentencing enhancement for multiple victims.

Valdez was pastor of International Mission Church USA at 505 S. Main St., police said. From 2014-2017, he was a member of Iglesia De Dios Ebenezer Church at 2020 W. Chestnut Ave. in Santa Ana, police said.

At that church he lured an 8-year-old girl into a van during a service and sexually assaulted her, police said. Valdez repeatedl

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