CANTON, Georgia – A jury in Cherokee County found Reyes Hernandez-Macario, 26, guilty of sexually assaulting two underage girls in incidents that took place in Canton and Woodstock.
According to the prosecution’s records, Hernandez-Macario served as a youth pastor and was responsible for transporting children to religious activities when the offenses occurred.
In the first incident, the suspect locked the vehicle carrying children after dropping off the other kids and sexually assaulted the girl.
In the second incident, the suspect approached the girl inside her family’s home, covered her mouth to prevent her from calling for help, and threatened her family if the incident were reported.
The prosecution stated that the jury returned guilty verdicts on all 8 charges, including:
2 counts of rape
2 counts of child molestation
2 counts of false imprisonment
2 counts of first-degree child cruelty
The trial lasted 4 days, and the jury deliberated for approximately 2 hours before reaching its verdict. The prosecution presented 37 pieces of evidence and testimony from 18 witnesses, including medical experts and specialists in investigating child abuse cases.
The investigation began after police received a report of sexual abuse of a child under 13 in August 2023 in Canton and a second report in Woodstock in September 2023.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant on October 20, 2023, and apprehended the suspect at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on October 22, 2023.
The identity of the church or youth organization where Hernandez-Macario served has not been disclosed. The court has not yet set a sentencing date.
