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	Charges against Deacon Dropped Joplin Globe August 15, 2007 http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_227205021.html Missouri — The last sexual-abuse charges against the deacon of a fringe church in McDonald County have been dismissed, authorities said. A charge of rape against Paul S. Epling, 54, a deacon of Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church, near Powell, was withdrawn because the statute of limitations had expired, according to McDonald County Prosecutor Janice Durbin. The alleged victim is a 35-year-old woman who claimed that Epling forced sexual intercourse on her when she was 6. Epling originally faced two counts of first-degree statutory rape and five counts of first-degree statutory sodomy in connection with alleged sexual acts involving that girl and a second one between 1976 and 1983. Statute-of-limitations issues caused prosecutors to drop those charges over the past year. The initial seven charges were amended by prosecutors in September 2006 to one count of felony rape and two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy. Both sodomy counts were dropped less than three months later. Allegations against Epling's brother, Tom Epling, 51, another deacon at the church, followed a similar pattern. Tom Epling initially faced five felony counts in connection with alleged acts involving a girl between 1976 and 1978, when she was 4 and 5 years old. Prosecutors in September amended the charges to two counts. The remaining two charges were dismissed in December because of a statute of limitations in effect at the time of the alleged offenses. Charges are still pending, meanwhile, against other members of Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church. Raymond Lambert, 52, the church pastor, is charged in McDonald County with three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and four counts of second-degree child molestation. Lambert's wife, Patty Lambert, 50, is charged with one count of second-degree child molestation. George Otis Johnston, 64, pastor of a sister church called Grandview Valley Baptist Church North, near Granby, faces 17 felony charges: nine counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, six counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and two counts of first-degree child molestation. Laura Epling, Tom Epling's wife, faces one charge of second-degree statutory sodomy in McDonald County. Contact: news@joplinglobe.com
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