On January 9, 2020, a woman reported that when she was between 12 and 18 years old, her former youth pastor, Jonathan Tsai, sexually assaulted her. The victim stated that while she and her family were members of the church, “Home of Christians Eastern Los Angeles Church,” in Hacienda Heights, her family became close with the suspect and his family. During visits to the victim’s home, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim. The sexual abuse continued for approximately six years. During the course of this investigation, Special Victims Bureau detectives identified two other women who reported similar sexual assaults by the suspect when they were minors.
Suspect Jonathan Tsai (pictured) is currently the Head Pastor at the church, now called “Abundant Life Ministries.” The church congregation is predominately Mandarin Chinese.
On July 21, 2020, the suspect was arrested at his residence and booked at the Walnut Sheriff’s Station with a bail amount of $1,400,000.00.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed four counts of Lewd Acts on a Child Under 14yrs Old, 288(a) PC, one count of Oral Copulation of a Person Under 16, 288a(b)(2) PC and one count of Sexual Penetration of a Person Under 16, 289(i) PC. His next court date is August 26, 2020.
On July 24, 2020, the suspect was released on bond and is no longer in Sheriff’s custody.
The Special Victims Bureau believes there may be additional victims in this case.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at (877) 710-5273 or by email at [email protected]. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP or “P3 Mobile” for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
West Covina Police Department is also investigating the suspect for sexual assault cases that occurred in the city of West Covina.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department - Special Victims Bureau is tasked with investigating the sexual and physical abuse of children and felonious sexual assaults involving adult victims.
Sergeant G. Taylor
Special Victims Bureau
11515 S. Colime Rd, D-106
Whittier, CA
(877) 710-LASD
www.lasd.org
Forwarded by:
Juanita Navarro-Suarez, Deputy
Sheriff's Information Bureau
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
211 West Temple Street,
Los Angeles California 90012
213-229-1700
Website: http://www.lasd.org
*Text & Email, Register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" AND your local LASD station area. Or, to receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan.
Alex Villanueva, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
