Video catches former megachurch pastor sneaking into woman's home in stalking case
Video catches former megachurch pastor sneaking into woman's home in stalking case
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Virginia megachurch pastor convicted for stalking caught on camera
A former Virginia pastor was convicted of stalking a female churchgoer. Video from 2023 shows him entering the woman's home while she's away.
The former pastor of a Virginia megachurch has been convicted of burglary and stalking after video captured him sneaking into the home of a previous member of his congregation.
A Virginia jury found Sergio Guardia, 49, guilty of the charges on March 12, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 20.
The woman he was convicted of stalking, Marie Columna, told WSET-TV that Guardia entered her home when she was out of town on Nov. 10 and 11 back in 2023. At the time, Columna was a phone notification woke Columna up telling her a man was inside her home, she said.
'I just was yelling, 'There's a guy in my house,'" she said.
Following Guardia's conviction, Columna told the outlet: "I do feel like I've gotten my power back, power that he took."
Guardia's attorney did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Friday.
Former congregant says trouble started after divorce
Columna told WSET-TV that Guardia was her pastor at the Spanish-language campus of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, until she left in 2016.
She said she left the church because Guardia repeatedly made her feel uncomfortable.
'It all started when my divorce was finalized," she told WSET-TV. "He was coming to my house ... to help me."
And then at some point, it became clear he wanted more. She said that his pattern of stalking went on for around six years before she caught him on camera.
She said the way the church responded to the allegations against Guardia was frustrating.
Thomas Road Baptist Church did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Friday.
"Their response towards me was negative. They were supportive of him," Columna said, adding that she hopes her story helps others.
"As powerful as that position of authority as a pastor may seem and as powerful as that church may seem, (victims) have power, too," she said.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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