A pastor charged with sexually abusing five women and suspected of abusing dozens more in the south of Colombia has fled the country, reported radio station Caracol Wednesday.
Reverend Alvaro Gamez allegedly deceived women and minors into engaging in sexual acts with him, threatening “the curse of Judas and the seven plagues of Egypt,” upon any who should betray him.
Gamez’ crimes were exposed when members of his Apostolic Evangelical Ministry of Salem congregation planted a hidden camera in a room he called “the nursery” and captured footage of him having sex with two teenage girls simultaneously.
The pastor surrendered to police at the beginning of July after one month on the run. Despite this, the judge granted Gamez bail, saying there was no merit in keeping him behind bars during the trial which was scheduled to begin August 30th.
On Sunday, however, the pastor and his family flew from Colombia’s capital, Bogota to Florida in the U.S., after which they are expected to travel to El Salvador and Honduras according to newspaper Diario Del Sur.