A Chicago pastor, Bertin Salgado, 63, has been placed on electronic monitoring after facing charges of molesting two relatives when they were children, authorities reported Wednesday. Salgado appeared at a detention hearing following allegations that span nearly two decades.

Court records identify Salgado as a pastor at Iglesia Manantial De Vida in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Prosecutors allege he committed predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse against two girls related to him. The victims were reportedly between the ages of 8 and 16 at the time of the abuse.

According to court documents, the abuse occurred over an extended period, beginning in 2000. The victims' parents sent the girls to live with Salgado and his wife at a Little Village residence, where the abuse continued. Prosecutors described repeated incidents of abuse at both the residence and the church. One victim reportedly endured nearly daily abuse, including instances where Salgado entered her locked bedroom while she was asleep.

The allegations include claims that Salgado exerted control over one victim by forbidding her from having a boyfriend, stating she was “only his.” As the victim aged, the abuse escalated, with prosecutors stating Salgado forced her to touch him and subjected her to additional abuse when she sought money. The victim was allegedly threatened that her claims would be disbelieved due to Salgado’s role as a pastor.

Prosecutors also allege that the victim disclosed the abuse to Salgado’s wife, who is also the aunt of the victims, but no action was taken. One particularly disturbing incident reportedly occurred when Salgado hid in a bedroom closet to watch the victim undress at age 13 before chasing and assaulting her in the home.

The abuse was discovered when one of the victims, applying to volunteer at the church, confided in another pastor during the vetting process. This pastor initiated an investigation, gathered written statements from the victims, and forwarded the information to suburban authorities. Chicago Police Department detectives recorded video statements from the victims and sought to interview the aunt, who declined to discuss the allegations.

Salgado was arrested on Monday and is scheduled to appear in court in August. Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful as of Thursday. The case remains under investigation.