Church Mentor Arrested After Alleged Year-Long Sexual Relationship With a Teenager

A youth mentor was arrested this week over allegations he had a year-long sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in his San Bernardino church, officials said.

Joseph Kealoha, 26 of Victorville, met the minor on a youth beach trip in August 2013 with Victorville's High Desert Church, which they both attended, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Investigators said Friday.

The unnamed minor told investigators that he and Kealoha, a volunteer whose job was to mentor the teenagers in a study group, had sex monthly during the relationship, which ended this September, deputies said.

He was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 16, on two charges of having sex with a minor, and is being held on $500,000 bail. The investigation was handled by the San Bernardino Sheriff's Crimes Against Children Detail.

The boy's father reported the relationship to sheriff's investigators after his son revealed that he'd been dating Kealoha, deputies said.

Kealoha also works as an aide at two schools in the Adelandto School District, Morgan Kincaid Preparatory School and Bradach Elementary School, deputies said. He has been relieved of his duties at the schools and High Desert Church, according to deputies.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident or minors who may have had one-on-one contact with Joseph Kealoha to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Crimes against Children Detail at 909-387-3615.

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