From WTVF

Members of a Lawrenceburg church accuse a pastor of sexual battery.

A grand jury indicted Cathedral of Faith Church Pastor John Olivares, 66, this week on five counts of sexual battery.

Lawrenceburg police arrested Olivares, who is accused of fondling church members.

Olivares said the charges are false, but two congregants said he used his status as pastor to sexually assault them.

Terra Boggs said she’s lost her faith and blames Olivares.

“It’s been very hindering,” Boggs said. “I have quit church. I will not go back to church now.”

“He said you have some women who have come against, that have said you sexually molested them and I said, ?Whoa,’” Olivares said the officer told him.

Olivares said he never did anything more than gently hug church members – nothing sexual.

“As God is my witness I have never done that,” Olivares said.

But Boggs said her pastor went too far.

“He was rubbing my breasts,” Boggs said. “That was a very inappropriate part of it.”

“I’m very devastated,” said Cleava Dickey, another alleged victim.

Dickey said she feels betrayed.

“I’m hurt. I’m hurt because I loved him,” Dickey said. “He gave me away at my wedding. That’s how much I trusted him. He was like my dad.”

Dickey said Olivares fondled her but she chose not to report it until she said things got worse.

“I found out it went from me to my daughter,” Dickey said. “She was in the living room and she said, ?Mama, I need to talk to you. Brother John is touching us.’ They were devastated.”

When asked why the women might file the charges, Olivares declined to comment after his lawyer told him to discontinue the interview with a NewsChannel 5 reporter.

Olivares said he’s innocent of the charges. He faces a judge next month.

There are two other complainants including a juvenile.

Boggs and Dickey said they believe sharing their accounts may encourage other alleged victims to report Olivares.

Olivares preached at the 60-member church for more than 20 years.