Held on $800,000 Bail : Ex-Church Worker Arrested in Child-Molesting Case

A former church youth director from Poway has been arrested and charged with 40 counts of oral copulation and 40 counts of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.

Lionel P. Jacques, 31, an unemployed elementary school teacher and former staff member at the Calvary Chapel of Poway, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies Sunday for allegedly having sexually molested the son of a family friend on numerous occasions, Sheriff’s Department officials said.

The molestations allegedly took place from September, 1982, to July, 1986. The boy was 10 years old when the molestations began, sheriff’s Lt. John Tenwolde said.

The boy apparently told his parents about the alleged incidents and they reported it to officials Thursday.

Sheriff’s deputies were ready to arrest Jacques on Friday but he was not home, Tenwolde said.

Sheriff’s officials said Jacques, married with three sons ranging from 1 to 5 years old, had taught the third grade at a parochial school until 1976. He had worked at the church for three years, coordinating youth activities, before his termination four months ago, the church pastor said.

“He was dismissed because of employer-employee difficulties, not for the charges,” church pastor Jim Hesterly said, adding that he and his congregation of 300 adults and children are “devastated . . . in absolute shock” over the allegations.

Tenwolde said authorities believe Jacques also has been involved with day-care centers but are not able to determine in what capacity.

“We are working with the pastor of the church to see if any more children were involved,” Tenwolde said. “We want to identify these kids so they can receive the proper care and counseling to help overcome the trauma.”

Anyone with additional information should call the Sheriff’s Department child abuse unit.

Jacques is being held in County Jail downtown on $800,000 bail. His arraignment is expected to be Wednesday.