A religious leader who abused a 12-year-old girl was sentenced: he was marching for Loan Peña.

A religious leader of the Abcordis Veterans Missionaries Church , known for his participation in the marches for the disappearance of Loan Peña , was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a girl under 12 years of age.

The incident occurred between 2020 and 2021 at the church in the Arco Iris neighborhood of Goya, Corrientes. The ruling was issued in an abbreviated trial. According to reports, López used his residence, which also served as a religious temple, to perpetrate the abuse.

According to local media reports, the victim had been part of her congregation, where he assisted her as a guitar teacher and served as her spiritual mentor . The girl attended the congregation with her family.

The case was classified as aggravated sexual abuse with carnal access , not only because of the girl's age, but also because of the breach of trust resulting from his dual role as a minister of worship and educator. In this regard, prosecutor María Eugenia Ballará noted that this closeness intensifies the seriousness of the acts, since López took advantage of his position of power and respect within the community to commit the crimes .

The trial culminated in a summary trial, where the defendant freely, knowingly, and voluntarily admitted his guilt . The Corrientes-based newspaper Diario Época reported that the admission facilitated the application of the summary trial and prevented the judicial process from being prolonged.

Within this framework, prosecutor Ballará was able to gather solid evidence, including the victim's testimony in the Gesell Chamber , medical reports, and psychological evaluations, which allowed for a settlement without the need for a lengthy trial. Judge Lucio López Lecube, in charge of the Trial Court, approved the agreement reached by all parties.

Ballará immediately requested the pretrial detention of religious leader López due to flight risk, given his high profile within the religious community and his local and international connections.

The conviction of Juan Ramón López had repercussions throughout the province of Corrientes . It's worth mentioning that, over the past year, the priest had gained notoriety for his ties to the family of Loan Peña , actively participating in marches and public events demanding the return of the child who disappeared a year ago.

López was presented and recognized as a defender of social and spiritual justice, which gave him a public image of integrity that eventually crumbled. For this reason, according to the newspaper Época , the girl didn't dare to report or share what had happened. It wasn't until this year, when the religious leader's "fame" began to wane, that the victim decided to tell her mother what had happened during 2020 and 2021 .

A detailed report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Worship was also important for the sentencing. It revealed that López's congregation was not officially registered , which brought to light irregularities in its religious activities.

The convicted man had filed a petition in 2019 to have his church, called "Iglesia Misioneros Veteros Abcordis," recognized as part of the Roman Catholic Church . In mid-2020, it was rejected. This discovery, combined with the evidence presented by the prosecution, further underscored López's lack of credibility and increased the seriousness of the crimes committed.