Family releases statement supporting pastor accused of sex crimes

By Lori Fowler
San Bernardino Sun
March 25, 2014

http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140325/family-releases-statement-supporting-pastor-accused-of-sex-crimes

SAN BERNARDINO >> The Muscoy pastor accused of child molestation is scheduled to return to court in May.

Stephen James Howard, 54, of Fontana was present and in custody Tuesday at the San Bernardino Superior Courthouse for a pre-preliminary hearing, which was continued until May 16, according to court records.

Howard, the pastor at Muscoy United Methodist Church, was arrested March 13 on suspicion of molesting two boys who at one time attended the church, San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives said.

He was originally booked into the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino for suspicion of lewd acts with a child under 14, oral copulation with a person under 18, and sodomy with a person under 18.

Howard was later transferred to West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga where he is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment on March 17.

Howard’s family released a statement of support through their lawyer, Rosa M. Mosley.

“The family of Pastor Stephen J. Howard would like to express its unwavering and unequivocal support for him. He is a kind and loving son, husband, father, brother and uncle. The family is deeply appreciative of the support and love expressed by friends and the community,” read the statement. “Pastor Howard has pled not guilty to all the charges. The family is respectfully asking the public to not rush to judgment and to remember that under our system of law, a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

During an investigation, the sheriff’s Crimes Against Children unit identified two victims - a 14-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man.

The Rancho Cucamonga residents were allegedly sexually abused by the pastor for years, officials said. The older victim said his abuse began when he was 9 years old and continued into adulthood, authorities added.

Both victims told detectives that Howard was sexually abusing them in exchange for money.

Howard has been the lead pastor at the Muscoy United Methodist Church since 2001 and also was the youth director at a United Methodist Church in Ontario from 1989 to 2001, sheriff’s officials said.

Deputies believe Howard had been molesting boys at several locations, including San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana.