SAN DIEGO -- A judge Friday set a Nov. 24 trial date for a pastor accused of using the fear of the devil to induce female members of his congregation to have sex with him.

Carlos Romero, 59, faces up to five years and eight months in prison if convicted of two counts of inducing sex by fear and one count of making a criminal threat.

At a hearing before Judge Peter Deddeh, the defendant -- free on $45,000 bail -- pleaded not guilty to the charges. Romero, (pictured, right), left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.

La Mesa police Sgt. Daniel Willis testified at a preliminary hearing last month that Romero told him in a phone conversation in June he felt sorry for telling three women who went to his church that the "devil would physically harm them and he could protect them if they had sex with him."

Willis said Romero told him he knew his actions were wrong and "wouldn't do it again."

One alleged victim, "Dora," said the group Romero led "was not a church, but that's what we called it."

She said her sister in 1998 invited her "to the house where the cults are."

Romero was at the house speaking about the word of God, Dora testified.

Dora said she attended the church for about a year and came back in 2000.

The woman said she met Romero in Fashion Valley in January.

"He told me that there was a revelation from God," Dora testified. "He told me that I had already been attacked by the devil, that I could only stop this by having sexual relations with him."

Dora said she believed Romero because she considered him a "true pastor" who was "guiding us toward eternal life."

The woman said she had sex with Romero again "among the trees" near Fashion Valley because Romero told her "he was not just any man" and to "thank God for that."

A second woman, Flor, testified she had known Romero for about 12 years and had sexual relations with him at least once a week for the past six years.

A third woman, Andrea, testified that she had known Romero since 1992.

She said Romero threatened to kill her after she tried to end their sexual relationship in February 2003.