A California pastor who could face a $1,000 fine and six months in jail for violating the state’s stay-at-home orders is speaking out in defense of his decision to hold an Easter service.
Police were alerted of a gathering at Iglesia De Jesus Cristo church in Merced at around 3 p.m. Easter Sunday. Officers later found roughly 60 people in the locked church with their cars parked out of sight in the back.
Pastor Fernando Aguas was cited for violating California’s measures to combat the coronavirus and has a scheduled court date in August. Aguas, however, believes the stay-at-home order should not apply to religious gatherings.
He described the police officers who cited him as “aggressive” and said they were wearing full tactical gear on Sunday. He also took issue with the police describing the congregants as “hiding.”
“We weren’t hiding,” Aguas said. “There were kids running around everywhere. We just had people park in back because we didn’t want problems.
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke told KFSN the pastor “put his entire congregation in jeopardy.”
“One person could have showed up not knowing they’re infected and infected the entire congregation,” he said. “You still have freedom of speech, you still have freedom of religion, you’re just gonna have to do it a different way. I’m not telling you you can’t worship, I’m just telling you where you can’t go to do it, and that’s based upon this health directive.”
The sheriff’s office released a warning on Facebook about remaining home before the holiday. In it, Warnke explained that he too is a Christian who would have loved to attend church but was staying home instead.
“‘Stay At Home’ this weekend and follow the direction given out by the Merced County Department of Public Health. PLEASE STAY AT HOME,” the warning added.
“It wasn’t fair what he did,” Aguas said of Warnke. “When he quoted the Constitution, he was wrong. We have the right to assemble.”
