iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A man who purported to offer spiritual healing out of his home in the Bronx is now facing multiple charges of sexual abuse and abortion.
The abortion charge stems from the allegation that he walked on the stomach and back of a woman who was six months pregnant, resulting in her miscarriage, according to police sources.
Christian Robles, 32, is now facing charges of performing sexual actions on at least five people, both male and female, ranging in age from 20 to 39 years old.
“The spirits of various saints would inhibit his body and interact with the victims through him. He performed spiritual rituals,” New York Police Department sources told ABC News.
Robles, who called himself a “spiritualist,” would make his victims drink an unknown liquid and then take advantage of them, the police sources said. He then allegedly menaced the victims with knives after the assaults, the police said.
One of the male victims told police that after drinking an oil provided by the suspect, his body trembled and felt weak. The suspect then allegedly cut the victim’s clothes off with a knife and sexually assaulted him, police said.
Robles faces two counts of criminal sex acts, one count of sex abuse, one count of abortion and one count of criminal possession of a weapon.
A different male victim told police that he met with Robles three times, and on the first visit they reportedly did a so-called cleansing ritual involving burning a pendant and a grim reaper. On the second visit, the victim claimed he was sexually assaulted. He said he refused to drink the liquid on the third visit.
The victim told police that Robles wanted him to drink the liquid so saints could enter his body. The victim would then be able to have sex with these saints via Robles, he told police.
Robles is scheduled to be arraigned this evening. His prior arrests include fraud, petty larceny and grand larceny, and police are reportedly investigating whether he could have run a similar scheme in other states.
He has three children under the age of 10 years old, who are now in the custody of children’s services, police sources said.
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