PORTLAND, Ore. -- A pastor was arrested in Kelso in late June and charged with a series of rapes going back to 1998.

Portland investigators arrested 31-year-old Maximo Ake-Be, who is now a senior pastor at Iglesia de Dios in Kelso, Wash., and he was later charged with a series of rapes that occurred nearly 10 years prior, police said.

Portland police said they received reports from two girls that they had been sexually assaulted by a leader of their private in-home church, The Peach House, between 1998 and 2000.

The alleged victims were about 8 and 12 years old at the time, police said.

Portland police said they think there are may be more victims associated with The Peach House Church, Iglesia De Dios or the High Praises Fellowship Church -- which shares a space with Iglesia De Dios.

Police said there are no connections between High Praises Fellowship Church or Iglesia De Dios -- Ake-Be's current church -- and the charges against him.

Wednesday, Joel Davis described the passionate preacher he met less than a year ago.

"He was what I'd describe as a real Hellfire-and-brimstone-type preacher," Davis said.

Davis rented the building out to Ake-Be for his church in Kelso, Iglesia de Dios.

But now, he said he can't believe Ake-Be has been accused of sexually abusing two children.

"When you have someone in a leadership role and they violate that trust, it's the ultimate form of betrayal," Davis said. "Something like this needs to be brought out into the light and if what's alleged is true, he needs to suffer the consequences."

Ake-Be is facing charges of one count of first-degree rape, two counts of second-degree rape, four counts of first-degree sodomy, four counts of second-degree sodomy and nine counts of first-degree sex abuse.

Anyone with information should contact Portland Police Detective Mace Winter at 503-823-0182, or Kelso Police Department Detective Damon Blain at 360-577-3412.

Kelso Pastor Charged With Multiple Rapes In Portland