Pastor in Palm Bay accused of molestation

Pastor and principal Samuel Vidal, 40, was arrested Wednesday for a touching a teenager inappropriately, police said.

Lt. Mike Bandish of the Palm Bay Police Department said there might be more than one victim. 

“We usually won’t release the name of the school to hide the identity of the victim but in this case we want to make sure there’s not more victims out there,” Bandish said.

According to police the 15-year-old victim went to Restoration Christian School, where Vidal was the principal and pastor.

Bandish said the girl told her father that Vidal touched her inappropriately and the father brought the daughter to the police department in April of 2016.

Bandish said it took the Special Victims Unit detective months to sort through what was a “he said, she said” situation, but eventually there was enough evidence to get an arrest warrant. 

“I can tell you that we have a DNA link in this case which ultimately led the judge to sign an arrest warrant for Mr. Vidal’s arrest,” Bandish said. 

Officers say Vidal is currently the principal at a school called Overcomers Academy in Palm Bay.