Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas pastor faces more child-sex abuse allegations

Bramwell Retana

Bramwell Retana

Updated Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020 | 10:06 a.m.

When the pastor’s photo flashed on a TV screen on Dec. 20, the young girl began to weep.

Bramwell Bernardo Retana was jailed the previous day for allegedly sexually assaulting a child, and investigators had decided to release his booking mug.

Metro Police don’t typically publicize sexual assault cases but believed there were more victims: Retana, 44, admitted to sexually assaulting one victim and committing lewd acts with another.

In his position at the Oasis De Paz Ministries church, police said Retana was known to frequently interact with children.

Then there was a phone call.

Likely unaware that communications at the Clark County Detention Center are recorded, Retana and his wife, Ana Gabriela “Gabby” Retana, were heard discussing the case.

"If the scandals get out of hand," they said, they would leave the country.

When the victim’s mother saw the girl crying after the news report, she tried to reassure her that the pastor was innocent and that everything was going to be OK.

But then the girl said the pastor had done "a lot of things" to her, the mom told police. The woman added that additional victims might be hesitant to come forward due to their immigration status.

But at least three additional families came forward, police said. Retana is facing 35 charges, including one count of sexual assault on a child under 14, and several counts of lewdness with a child under 14, kidnapping and child abuse.

His attorney, Ryan Helmick, declined to comment. No one answered a call at the number listed at the church’s website.

A nine-page arrest report released Tuesday describes disturbing allegations in which the pastor of the congregation, 2020 N. Michael Way, found ways to isolate prepubescent girls in rooms of the building while their parents were busy with church functions. The complaint detailed a number of what the suspect called "games" that featured the children being forced into behaviors that suggested the suspect got sexual gratification from being dominated.

The first girl who came forward after the arrest was as young as 6 when Retana began assaulting her, she told investigators. Retana would find her in the church’s hallways, snag her by the arm and drag her into his office even when she tried to run away, according to the complaint.

Her mother, who’s known Retana for more than a decade, said the family attended church four times a week.

Retana and his wife are both ordained pastors and founded the church at their home in 2004, according to the Oasis De Paz Ministries website.

Services were apparently being held at another location about the time the allegations were reported. Children are featured prominently in a since-deleted promotional YouTube video, posted by the church.

Preteen girls could be seen dancing to worship music as a narrator speaks about classes available for the youth, as well as a daycare. “It’s a family church that’s waiting for you with its arms wide open to make you feel at home.”

The congregation also livestreamed its services on Facebook. The last one was published four days before Retana’s arrest.

In Spanish, Retana preached about a “biblical principle” that, according to him, didn’t allow worshippers to indulge in even just a little alcohol during the holidays.

“You’ll remember me,” he said about 2020. “Judases” would be everywhere, and so will temptation. Dark forces would manifest themselves through vices, such as alcohol, women and gambling.

Retana said he was just a normal believer, but as a church leader, he would be the most attacked by that invisible enemy. “And that’s why I have to be firm.”

Retana remained in jail Tuesday. He’s expected in court Feb. 3.