Hempstead church leader charged with raping a minor, police say

A Uniondale man was charged Thursday with having sexual relations multiple times with a minor, beginning when she was 12 years old and he was serving as a leader at a church in Hempstead, Nassau County police said.

Jose Wilfredo Vazquez Cardoza, 49, of Maple Avenue, was located by Special Victims Section detectives and arrested without incident on Wednesday, authorities said.

Cardoza is charged with second-degree rape, second-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in Hempstead and was held on $100,000 cash bail or $200,000 bond.

According to detectives, Cardoza had sexual relations with the female victim multiple times between Aug. 21, 2011, and April 7, 2016, when the girl was between 12 and 16 years old.

Police said when the abuse began, Cardoza was a church leader and did security for the church, Iglesia Cristiana Unida in Hempstead.

Since March 2023, he has been serving as an active member and elder of the Iglesia Misionera El Redentor on Merrick Road in Amityville, officials said.

Cardoza is due back in court on Monday. Online court records do not indicate if Cardoza has a defense attorney.

Detectives are asking anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cardoza to call the Special Victims Squad Detectives at 516-573-4022 or Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477. All callers will remain anonymous.