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Oak Harbor Church Leader Charged With 30 Child Sex Crimes

Posted: 7:43 am PDT August 13, 2008Updated: 11:15 am PDT August 14, 2008

A babysitter and Oak Harbor church leader was charged with 30 counts of sexual assault against children, according to charging documents.

Nathan Martinez, 21, was a youth leader who taught Sunday school and helped children learn dance routines at the Living Faith Christian Center Church.

VIDEO: Youth Leader Admitted Assaults To Church Leaders
VIDEO: Babysitter Accused Of Child Rape, Molestation

Martinez recently told church leaders that he inappropriately touched young children he was babysitting, said Associate Pastor Fred Burleson.

"He wanted to let go. There were times he felt like he was over 'it,' but it would come over him again," Burleson said.

Martinez admitted to inappropriately touching three children but the investigation indicates that there could be more victims, Oak Harbor police Chief Rick Wallace said.

Documents showed that Martinez is charged with 10 separate counts of first-degree child rape against a 5-year-old, 19 counts of child molestation and one count of attempted child molestation. The victims' ages range from 3 to 13 years and included both boys and girls.

According to police reports, Martinez raped a 5-year-old several times and molested eight other children from June of last year up until last month while babysitting them.

The families involved are all members of the church. Pastor Burleson told KIRO 7 that everyone who works with children at the church undergoes a background check, but Martinez did not have a record here in Washington state.

Martinez was at the church four to five times a week and has been a member for three years, said Burleson. Burleson and the police both said they have no reason to believe that any of the took place at the church.

"None of the incidents happened at the church. It was more of a babysitting situation, generally, at the victims' homes," Wallace said.

The children are being counseled by members of the congregation and so far no other families have come forward.

Police said Martinez told detectives that he was molested as a child over a period of 10 years.

Martinez lives on the base of Naval Air Station Whidbey, and some of the victims' homes may be there as well, police said.

A Navy source told KIRO that the Navy Crimes Investigative Service is also investigating possible molestations on the base.

Martinez is being held on $250,000 bail and could face up to 26 years in prison.

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