BENICIA — A Benicia man who briefly worked as a youth volunteer at a local church is in jail on suspicion of several charges including rape, police said this weekend.
After the parent of a victim identified only as a 15-year-old girl alerted police of her alleged sexual encounter with a man identified by police as Brandon Jacobs, detectives began an investigation.
According to authorities, when Jacobs tried to meet the victim again late Friday, detectives met him instead at a parking lot in the 2000 block of East Third Street and took him into custody without incident.
A statement posted Sunday afternoon on Northgate Christian Fellowship’s Facebook page said: “We are shocked and saddened to learn of the allegations being made today. From what we have learned the investigation has only recently begun. We understand the victim only met Brandon Jacobs through attendance at our church. We are cooperating with the Benicia police department in their investigation. We respect the victim’s privacy and have nothing more to add at this time.”
Jacobs, 21, was booked into Solano County jail Friday on suspicion of felony rape with a victim under 16 years old, oral copulation with a minor child, forcible sexual penetration and arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, as well as misdemeanor sexual battery, police said. He was being held on $167,500 bail, county records state.
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.