Moreno Valley pastor accused of sexually abusing a girl, in court
A 79-year-old pastor accused of sexually abusing a young girl must stand trial for several serious crimes, a judge ruled on Tuesday.
David Lee Helbling of Moreno Valley was arrested in February following an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
At the end of a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning, Superior Court Judge Jerry Yang found there was enough evidence to try Helbling for alleged oral sex with a child under the age of 10, child abduction, lewd acts on a child, committing three or more sexual acts on a minor and the aggravated charge of assault during sexual assault.
The judge scheduled an arraignment for October 25 following the preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The defendant is being held at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on $2 million bail.
According to Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Martinez, officers were notified in late January of an alleged assault on the victim, identified only as “EA” in court documents, in the 23000 block of Hemlock Avenue near Pigeon Pass Road.
The subsequent investigations led to the identification of the local priest Helbling as the suspected perpetrator.
Martinez said a search warrant was obtained and served at the defendant’s residence, where “evidence related to the crime was collected and Helbling was taken into custody without incident.”
Court records show that the defendant committed all of the crimes he is charged with on the same day, January 30.
“It is alleged that in connection with the commission of the offenses, Helbling abducted the victim and that the victim’s movement significantly increased the risk of injury,” the criminal complaint states. “The defendant lived in the same house and had repeated access to her with the intent to arouse, appeal to and satisfy his lust, passion and sexual desires.”
No further details were disclosed, including the place of worship in which Helbling presided.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Helbling has no previous felony convictions in Riverside County.
