Douglas Rivera pleaded no contest to entering a Covina hotel room and sexually assaulting a young girl.
Rivera was a pastor at the God's Gypsy Christian Church in Glendale.
Investigators say he was caught on surveillance video touching himself outside a Covina hotel room before breaking in and molesting a young exchange student.
He then fled the scene in his truck. While on the run from authorities, Rivera released video to ABC7, claiming his innocence and saying he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Pastor accused of Covina child sex assault shares his side of story
He eventually turned himself in to authorities.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Rivera must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.