Aug 29, 2008 1:34 pm US/Pacific
Corona Man Accused Of Molesting 3 Boys From Church
RIVERSIDE
A 34-year-old Corona man accused of sexually molesting three boys he knew from a local church was ordered Friday to stand trial on multiple counts of lewd conduct.
Richard Angulo is charged with 24 counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on three boys, ages 11-13, whom he allegedly molested in the mid-1990s, according to a criminal complaint.
He is free on $1 million bail.
At a preliminary hearing Friday to determine whether there was enough evidence for Angulo to stand trial, two Corona police detectives testified that the alleged victims accused Angulo of "touching them, having them touch him and having them touch each other," said Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Elan Zekster.
Angulo's attorney, Peter Morreale, was not immediately available for comment.
The alleged molestation began sometime in 1994, when Angulo moved into one of the boy's homes, according to Zekster.
He said the family knew Angulo from Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, of which the then-20-year-old defendant was a member.
Based on a church reference, the boy's family offered Angulo room-and-board, the prosecutor said.
"The defendant would meet other boys through the main victim," Zekster said.
Zekster said one of the alleged victims claims Angulo molested him into his late teens.
According to the prosecutor, Corona police began investigating Angulo earlier this year when one of the alleged victims came forward, leading to the identification of other possible victims.
Riverside Superior Court Judge Craig Riemer scheduled a post-preliminary arraignment for Angulo on Sept. 19.
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