Adelanto pastor sentenced in sex case

By Monica Solano
Daily Press
December 07, 2015

http://www.vvdailypress.com/article/20151207/NEWS/151209803

ADELANTO — A High Desert pastor was convicted last month of having sex with a minor in connection with an incident dating back to July, according to San Bernardino County court records.

Craig R. Lorick, 54, of Adelanto, head pastor of Down 2 Earth Christian Fellowship in Adelanto, was arrested on suspicion of lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 to 15 years old and having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor on July 13, court records show.

Lorick first pleaded not guilty during his original arraignment in September, but was offered a plea bargain on Nov. 19 and changed his plea to no contest, court records show.

Lorick’s plea of no contest found him guilty on one count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger than him, while a count of lewd or lascivious acts with a child was dismissed. Lorick is not required to register as a sex offender as part of the plea bargain, court records show.

Lorick was sentenced to 40 days in a San Bernardino County jail with credit for two days previously served. He also received 36 months probation. He is ordered to comply with all court protective orders obtained by the victim, including a 10-year firearm and ammunition restriction, and is ordered to report to Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center on Jan. 8 if his referral for electronic monitoring isn't accepted, according to court records.

When reached by telephone recently, Lorick declined to comment to a Daily Press reporter.

Dennis Morris, co-founder of Moses House Ministries in Victorville, said he was going through the conviction logs in the Daily Press recently and came across an entry of a 54-year-old man who was convicted of having sex with a minor and was sentenced to jail.

Morris said he Googled the person's name and was surprised to see the suspect was a senior pastor for the Adelanto church.

“Sexual abuse is a very difficult issue,” Morris said. “A pastor should be held to the highest of standards and my question is, who is the judge that would let him go so easily? That's a slap on the wrist.”

Down 2 Earth is affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. Sherry Sessler, executive assistant to the secretary treasurer at the Assemblies of God Southern California District Office in Irvine, said the organization is “taking the appropriate church matter, Ecclesiastical steps, according to policies and procedures.”

Sessler told the Daily Press she couldn't go into further detail.