A Florida pastor accused of raping women at a shelter that he ran was caught on video this week ripping the microphone out of a reporter's hands when she asked him about the crimes.
July 17, 2014

A Florida pastor accused of raping women at a shelter that he ran was caught on video this week ripping the microphone out of a reporter's hands when she asked him about the crimes.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, 44-year-old Pedro L. Custodio -- who is known as "Pastor Pete" -- was accused of forcing himself on at least three women who had been clients at Our Father's House of Refuge Ministries, Inc.

Documents said that in July of 2013, Custodio took one victim into the shelter's pantry, locked the door, removed his pants, grabbed her hips, and began kissing her. The woman said she was eventually was "able to convince him" to stop because he was married.

During the investigation, Eustis police learned of two other victims. One said that she had a consensual sexual relationship with the pastor, but that he also raped her on her birthday in May of 2013.

"[The victim] advised she was crying during the entire incident and [was] repeatedly begging for Pastor Pete to stop," police documents said.

The third woman said that she also felt "pressured" to have sex with the pastor.

"Pastor Pete would tell her she could always go find another shelter in Orlando if she did not do what he wanted to do," according to police.

WFTV's Renee Stoll caught up with Custodio as he was being released on a $30,000 bond on Tuesday.

"Why are they accusing you of this?" she asked as Custodio tried to cover his face.

"There's a lot of things involved -- insurance, money," he explained. "You live in a place like that, you want to sue somebody."

"So you didn't do any of these? And all three women have the same story though," Stoll observed. "I mean, they said that you wanted them to play rape scenes for them. That you were obsessed with having sex that was like rape. Is that true?"

"No comment," Custodio replied.

"What about the part where they say that they were afraid you were going to kick them out of the shelter if they didn't have sex with you?" Stoll pressed.

At that point, Custodio grabbed the reporter's microphone and tossed it about 30 feet.

"That's assault," she noted.

(h/t: The Blaze)

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