Church Youth Leader Receives 3-Year Sentence

A former youth group leader at a local church was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for molesting four boys.

Michael Webb Blinkhorn, 29, had pleaded guilty to 18 felony counts of molestation involving four youths age 12 to 15. The molestations took place at Blinkhorn’s home in Placentia between January, 1991, and July, 1993, police said.

Attorneys could not be reached for comment after the sentencing late Monday.

At the time of the molestations, Blinkhorn was a volunteer with the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, where he worked for about four years. He spent up to eight hours a week with a group of about 10 boys, helping them with Bible study and leading a Sunday morning youth program.

Authorities said none of the victims, one from Anaheim and three from Fullerton, were in Blinkhorn’s study group. Blinkhorn was arrested in March after a monthlong investigation by the Placentia Police Department.

Blinkhorn also confessed to church elders after a youth on a retreat complained to another counselor of the alleged acts. Blinkhorn, who underwent a church screening process before he was allowed to volunteer, was then removed from his job.

The church has encouraged Blinkhorn’s victims to seek counseling.