A former youth minister accused of sexually assaulting a young girl he met at a church in Nutley was arraigned Wednesday in Newark.

Investigators say 31-year-old Samuel Naranjo struck up an illicit relationship with a teen he met while working as a volunteer youth minister. Authorities say the relationship began after Naranjo moved to Pennsylvania almost two years ago. However, the now 14-year-old girl?s father recently discovered the alleged relationship when he found electronic exchanges between his daughter and Naranjo.

Authorities say Naranjo sexually assaulted the girl at hotels in Nutley, Belleville, Bloomfield and Lyndhurst. Investigators are trying to track down all of the times and places Naranjo took the girl to hotels for sex. So far, authorities say the two had more than 43 encounters.

Naranjo is facing 20 criminal counts of sexual assault, however, that number could increase. He remains in the Essex County Jail on $200,000 bond. Meanwhile, federal authorities have been alerted to Naranjo?s arrest because it is not clear if he is in the country legally.

Related Information:Ex-Nutley church volunteer accused of sex assault