Pastor accused of molesting child at Lake Mohave
A pastor is accused of molesting a girl at Lake Mohave last summer, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Metro police arrested Isaac Luna-Valencia, 48, on Dec. 14 in connection to allegations that he sexually molested a girl while at Lake Mohave. Luna-Valencia is facing charges of sexually motivated first degree kidnapping of a minor and two counts of lewdness with a child less than 14.
The victim said that Luna-Valencia molested her twice in June 2021 during a boat trip at Lake Mead, though police later found out this trip was actually at Lake Mohave, according to police.
The victim first told her legal guardian about the encounter in September of this year, but the guardian initially doubted the victim’s story because she was “known to make things up for attention,” according to the arrest report. After meeting with other adults about the allegations, the victim’s guardian ultimately decided that the truth would come into the “light,” and prayed for a “sign from God” to make her believe the victim.
Police said the victim told another adult about the encounter with Luna-Valencia on Dec. 2. This adult told her boyfriend, who is related to the victim’s guardian and close with the victim.
The boyfriend told police when he confronted other adults who learned about the encounter in September, they blamed the victim for not “‘pulling out her phone’ to record Pastor Isaac abusing her,” and further denied the allegations against Luna-Valencia, according to police.
Police said the victim took a polygraph test to ensure that she was telling the truth on Dec. 4. When the results indicated that the victim wasn’t lying, the man who learned about the allegations on Dec. 2 pressured Luna-Valencia to also take a polygraph test, which he refused.
After seeking advice from a family friend on the matter, the man made a report to Child Protective Services, who directed him to make a police report.
Child Protective Services reported the incident to Metro police on Dec. 5. Luna-Valencia is due back in court in Searchlight on Feb. 28.
Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCredicoII.