Church Elder Arrested for Decade-Long Sexual Abuse of Minor in Nassau County
The Special Victims Squad reports the arrest of a Uniondale man for multiple sexual encounters that occurred between August 21, 2011 and April 7, 2016 in Nassau County.
According to Detectives, Jose Wilfredo Vazquez Cardoza, 49, of 482 Maple Avenue had sexual relations with a female victim multiple times from when she was 12 years old until she was 16 years old while acting as a church leader/security for Iglesia Cristiana Unida in Hempstead. Since March 2023 he has been serving as an active member/elder of the Iglesia Misionera El Redentor located at 134 Merrick Road in Amityville. The defendant was located by SVS Detectives and placed under arrest without incident on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Defendant Cardoza is charged with Rape 2 nd Degree, Criminal Sexual Act 2 nd Degree, Sexual Abuse 1 st Degree, Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors 2 nd Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He will be arraigned on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at First District Court, 99 Main Street, Hempstead.
Detectives are requesting anyone who may have been victimized by the above defendant to contact the Special Victims Squad Detectives at (516) 573-4022 or Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.