RIVERSIDE — Authorities say a Southern California youth pastor has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting children over nearly two decades.

The Press-Enterprise reports Malo Victor Monteiro was arrested Friday in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles. The 45-year-old could face charges including intent to commit rape, mayhem or sodomy, lewd and lascivious acts on a child and sexual penetration by force. It wasn’t immediately known if he has an attorney.

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The sheriff’s department says deputies were alerted in June to alleged lewd acts by Monteiro. Officials say detectives determined that several juveniles were allegedly sexually assaulted between 1999 and 2017.

The name of the church where Monteiro worked was not disclosed.

The sheriff’s department spelled his name as Montiero, but jail records listed him as Monteiro.

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Information from: The Press-Enterprise, http://www.pe.com