Youth pastor arrested for allegedly sexually abusing teenager for two years

A grand jury has indicted a former Albuquerque youth pastor for allegedly sexually abusing a teenager in his youth group for over two years.

In the Monday indictment, Adolfo Castillo, 36, who worked as a youth pastor at Restoration Church, is charged with eight counts of criminal sexual penetration, five counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor, two counts of child abuse and battery upon a peace officer, among other charges.

Castillo has been behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest Nov. 14.

Castillo has multiple aliases listed in court records, which list his first name as Daniel. A jail booking sheet named him Jean Lopez. According to an arrest affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court, he also used the names Jacob, Justin and Snape.

Prosecutors filed a motion to detain Castillo on Nov. 15, saying his behavior “is emotionally violent, dangerous and shows no regard for the safety and wellbeing of (the teen).”

On Aug. 26, New Mexico State Police received a report that a teen had been sexually abused by Castillo, a youth pastor at Restoration Church, according to the affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court.

The teen told police that from December 2023 to March 2025, Castillo sexually abused her multiple times, including during an Easter Sunday celebration at the church, the affidavit states.

Restoration Church was closed and not available for comment as of Friday. Multiple Facebook posts from the church named Castillo as “Brother Daniel Castillo.”

The teen, who was 13 at the time, told officers that Castillo would touch her sexually in the pastor’s office and made sexual remarks to her on Snapchat, the affidavit states.

On multiple occasions, Castillo allegedly went to the teen’s house when she was alone to try to have sex with her, according to the affidavit. The teen told police he had recorded the sexual encounters at least once.

At one point, Castillo began writing letters to the teen, in which he “declared his love for her” and expressed the issues he had in his marriage, the affidavit states. Castillo eventually asked for all the letters back because he had concerns about their “security.”

Castillo continued to message the teen on Snapchat on numerous occasions and texted her one day after she missed Bible study to tell her she was “very beautiful and sexy,” according to the affidavit.

Castillo left Restoration Church at some point after other women in the church began to “take notice of (his) unusual friendship with (the teen),” according to the affidavit. Castillo resigned after he was confronted by a pastor.

The two stopped communication in April 2025 after Castillo began threatening her, stating that he wanted her and that she would “need a bat for her protection to keep him away,” the affidavit states.

The teen told officers that Castillo would get angry when she talked to boys her age and said “the next guy she met should be concerned about him and pray that an angel intervenes,” according to the affidavit.

Police later learned that Castillo had reportedly been accused of sexual misconduct in the past. When he learned of the allegations, he went to Cuba for an “extended period,” the affidavit states.