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Sun Valley Church Usher Charged With Sexually Abusing 4 Boys

VAN NUYS (CBSLA.com) — A 34-year-old man who was a church usher in Sun Valley was charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting four boys he met through the congregation, announced the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Marcelo Lozano pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys Superior Court to two counts each of aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse and oral copulation of a person under 14, along with one count each of forcible lewd act upon a child, lewd act upon a child and sodomy of a person under 14 with 10 years difference.

The alleged crimes, which included victims ranging in age from eight to 15, occurred between January 1, 2006, and June 30, 2013.

The suspect knew the victims through Jehovah's Witness, Sun Valley Spanish Congregation.

If convicted, Lozano faces a maximum term of life in prison.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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