LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County pastor who ripped a microphone out of a Channel 9’s reporter’s hands as she tried to ask him about rape charges filed against him was found not guilty Thursday.
He spoke to Channel 9’s Field Sutton about what’s next for his ministry.
Pedro Custodio, who goes by Pastor Pete, said he’s working to forgive his accusers.
Raw: Pastor acquitted of rape talks about ministry's future
Raw: 'Pastor Pete' bonds out on sex assault charges, rips mic from female reporter's hand
It took the jury less than an hour to decide he wasn’t guilty of raping a woman.
“It was like (being) in hell. And never coming out of hell,” Custodio said. “God came through for me. I’m happy for that.”
Last July, two women said they were raped while staying at one of the pastor’s shelters.
A third woman claimed he tried to rape her.
“I come to visit people at jail, to give them hope, to give them inspiration. And now I’m here. What do I do? This is my story. This is me fighting for my life now,” he said.
For more than a year, he said he waited for the wheels of justice.
“I lost everything. I lost my sponsors, I lost pastors that believed in and trusted me,” he said.
Meanwhile at his shelter, people like Elaina Decesare and their families still depend on the pastor and his wife.
“These two people brought hope back to me,” she said.
Custodio’s marriage weathered the storm. The pastor admitted he had a sexual relationship with the two women, but he said it was consensual.
“My sin is committing adultery. It was doing wrong. Letting people down,” he said.
He said he’s trying to build up trust and replace the lifetime of work taken by his accusers.
“I forgive them. Just like God forgave me and the people forgave me, I forgive them too,” Custodio said.
The pastor said he wants to open a newer, bigger shelter. He’s eyeing an abandoned hotel and said he’ll do it just as soon as he can round up the support.
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