A Mennonite pastor, who formerly lived in Lancaster, has been charged with indecent assault after disappearing from his Lewisburg-area home last month.
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Jose Rosa, 52, had indecent contact with boys, one as young as 9, state police say. The acts allegedly took place between 2005 and 2009 at Rosa's home and church. Both are north of Lewisburg in Union County, which is about 100 miles north of here, along Route 15.
Rosa moved from Lancaster to Union County about seven years ago. While living here, Rosa attended El Buen Pastor, a Mennonite church on Harrison Street in Lancaster.
Trooper Matt Burrows, of the state police barracks in Milton, said today that individuals who believe they were the victims of similar indecent contact on the part of Rosa in the past should contact their local police department.
Rosa has been missing since May 21. Police have looked for him on foot, from the air and on horseback but have not found him.
According to a story in the Sunbury Daily Item, Rosa was last seen walking through a housing development near his home at about 11 a.m. May 21. He was wearing shorts, sneakers and a backpack.
Allegations of misconduct against Rosa were turned over to state police before his disappearance, said Joanne Dietzel, conference coordinator for the Lancaster Mennonite Conference, at 2160 Lincoln Highway East.
Rosa had been employed by Eastern Mennonite Missions, in Salunga, for the Lancaster Mennonite Conference from July 2007 until two days after his disappearance. He worked as a consultant in "church planting," or starting new congregations.
Until recently, Rosa also had been the pastor of Congregacion Menonita Shalom in New Columbia. He and his wife, Maggie, also a pastor, started the church. The couple have two children.
Dietzel said she could not comment on who made the allegations against Rosa. She did say that the conference has suspended Rosa's pastoral credentials until the outcome of the investigation of charges against him.
Though Rosa worked as a pastor, he had another full-time job, as his church was not able to offer him a full-time salary, Dietzel said. She did not know what the job was, only that it was in the Harrisburg area.
A new pastor took Rosa's place May 24, in a move that had been previously planned.
Staff writer Cindy Stauffer can be reached at cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024.
