Ex-pastor charged with child sex abuse

A 57-year-old Chicago man has been charged with abusing a boy for six years.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that John Hays was arrested Thursday on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. A judge on Friday set bond at $250,000.

Hays is accused of molesting the Chicago boy repeatedly from 2003 through 2009, beginning when the boy was 8 years old. The victim is now 19 and reported the abuse in May, authorities said.

Prosecutors say Hays was a pastor and neighbor of the victim's family.

Hays recently worked as director of congregational life at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest from 2009 until he was fired last month. But church officials tell WBBM-TV that the boy wasn't a member, and the alleged abuse occurred before Hays began working there.