FAIRMONT — A Madelia man is facing felony charges in Martin County.

Edgar Everado Sanchez, 32, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

On Aug. 10, a deputy with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from a staff member of Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Fairmont stating he had a 21-year-old female in his office who wished to report a sexual assault from when she was a juvenile. The deputy proceeded to meet with the staff member and the woman.

The woman said that from August 2013 until June 2015, she had a romantic relationship with Sanchez. During this time, she would have been 16 and 17 years old. The woman stated she first met Sanchez a couple of weeks prior to going on a short-term mission trip with the church.

The staff member indicated the dates of the trip were June 27 through July 8, 2013, and he confirmed that Sanchez was on that trip and was one of the adult volunteer leaders. The woman said she really got to know Sanchez during that trip, and about one month later they began a romantic relationship. She said she and Sanchez would text each other and agree to meet.

She also said she would sneak out of her parents’ house around midnight and Sanchez would pick her up in his car. She indicated they would use color code and would text “blue” if they wanted to meet. She said they would normally go to a cemetery north of her house, and would meet about twice a week, more often in summers and not as often in the winter.

She said they had a sexual relationship, although it did not include intercourse. She said that during this time, Sanchez came on staff at the church as an interim youth pastor and had the full responsibility of leading the youth program.

The deputy asked if the woman had ever sought spiritual advice or guidance from Sanchez. She said, “Before and during at the very beginning, then it felt too weird to do that.” She said that sometimes after their youth group meetings on Wednesday night they would go to a gravel road near Walmart in Fairmont.

The woman said that as the relationship continued, Sanchez threatened her that if she ever reported their relationship he would tell lies about her. She said that in June 2015, Sanchez began making comments about her almost turning 18 and they could finally have intercourse because it would be legal. She said she did not want to do that so she broke up with him.

On Aug. 11, the deputy met with Sanchez at the Martin County Law Enforcement Center. The deputy advised Sanchez he wanted to talk about the woman and read him his rights. Sanchez said he understood his rights, and that he did not want to answer any questions and wanted to speak to an attorney.