An estimated 40 supporters crowded the hallway of a Sacramento courtroom and prayed the rosary Tuesday in support of a Catholic priest who is accused of molesting a girl under the age of 14.
"We're just supporting him," said Martha Carrillo, 25. "We've all got to be with him, and we're all going to be praying for him. Only the Lord can judge people."
Carrillo declined to comment when asked about the alleged victim in the case.
The supporters showed up in the jail division of Sacramento Superior Court, where the Rev. Uriel Ojeda, 32, had been scheduled for a hearing about reducing his $5 million bail.
Ojeda's attorney, Jesse Ortiz, asked for the hearing to be rescheduled to give him time to review the police reports. Judge Marjorie Koller set the new hearing date for Dec. 19.
The defendant appeared only briefly in the courtroom holding cell, shackled at the waist, clad in a yellow jumpsuit that indicates he is being held separately from other jail inmates.
Neither Ortiz nor Deputy District Attorney Allison Dunham commented on the case.
Ojeda, 32, is accused of seven counts, three in Sacramento County and four in Shasta County.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged incidents occurred between June 29, 2007, and Aug. 30, 2009. Police initially reported that the victim was 14 at the time of the first incident but on Tuesday said they believe she was 13.
Ojeda had served in the Holy Rosary Parish in Woodland and Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Redding. He was booked into the Sacramento jail Nov. 30.
At Tuesday's court hearing, the appearance of the dozens of supporters on Ojeda's behalf was an act of faith. Many of them wore T-shirts bearing his likeness to express it.
"We're here to support him," said Veronica Lopez of Winters. "We all have faith in God, and with our prayers we can keep it up."
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