Cop, Church Pastor Await Trial In Child Abuse Case

A Jan. 23 trial date was set Wednesday for a Corona police officer accused of failing to tell her superiors about allegations that a 13-year-old boy was being physically and mentally abused by a pastor and two other men.

Cpl. Margaret Bell, 44, could face jail time and fines if convicted of a misdemeanor count of failing to report evidence of child endangerment.

Bell, who remains on paid administrative leave from her job, was charged last July following an investigation by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

The prosecution and defense informed Riverside County Court Rafael Arreola Wednesday that they would be prepared to move forward with a trial during the last week of this month. However, the dates could be shifted.

The 23-year law enforcement officer allegedly learned about a boy being abused by members of the Heart of Worship fellowship in Corona in March but failed to report the information to investigators, as required in her capacity as a peace officer.

The child, identified in court documents as Jacob, was allegedly subjected to repeated acts of abuse at the hands of three men -- Nicholas James Craig, 22, Darryll Duane Jeter, 28, and Lonny Lee Remmers, 54. All are members of the fellowship; Remmers is the pastor.

According to investigators, Jacob's mother sent him to live with the men after he allegedly twice sexually assaulted his 7-year-old sister.

To correct the boy's behavior, the defendants allegedly made him dig a ditch and told him it could end up being his own grave, and once strapped him to a chair in the bathroom of Remmers' home and pepper-sprayed him, according to testimony from the September preliminary hearing.

Remmers alone is accused of pinching the boy's chest with pliers to punish him.

The men could each face more than 15 years in prison if convicted. They're all free on bail.