Charges filed after Breath of Life Church pastor reports volunteer for molesting young member

OAK RIDGE NORTH, Texas (KTRK) -- A Montgomery County man is accused of molesting a young girl who attended the church where he volunteered.

Sean Aveilhe, 51, is charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child, but his family tells Eyewitness News he's not guilty of the crime.

According to the Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office, both Aveilhe and the victim attended Breath of Life Church in Oak Ridge North.

Court documents released Thursday say the girl was 10 years old, although a statement from the suspect's family indicated she was 7. The alleged crime took place on Jan. 2 while Aveilhe was babysitting the girl at his home, documents say.

The girl told her caregiver that Aveilhe touched her inappropriately underneath her underwear.

He's also accused of showing her a pornographic video of him and his wife and telling her, "When you get older, you're going to do this to me." The victim also said Aveilhe once exposed himself to her and invited her to touch him.

The girl allegedly told her caregiver she didn't want to return to Aveilhe's home because he was "weird."

The Constable's Office described Aveilhe as a church employee, but the church says he was a volunteer.

"I am in charge of missions and outreach and also in charge of the worship team," Aveilhe said in a video posted to the church's Facebook page last year.

In the same video, Aveilhe said, "the family atmosphere (and) the love for God" drew him to the church.

Pastor Justin Petrovich said he reported the allegations to authorities as soon as he learned about them.

"This was the hardest thing I've had to do," he told Eyewitness News.

Petrovich said none of the alleged abuse occurred at the church.

The Constable's Office said it began investigating Jan. 4.

Detectives searched Aveilhe's home on Jan. 30 and arrested him.

In a statement, Aveilhe's family said, "he absolutely did not do this."

"We ask for your prayers to help get us through the most difficult time," the statement says. "We had no idea that because a 7-year-old child makes an uncorroborated allegation, that our world would be turned upside down."

Aveilhe has since been released from jail on a $100,000 bond.

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