By Kimberly Edds
The Orange County Register
June 30, 2007
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1749459.php
Costa Mesa – The former director of St. Timothy Roman Catholic Church's youth choir was arrested by Costa Mesa detectives Thursday on suspicion of molesting one of his students more than a decade ago.
Authorities began investigating Albert Lee Schildknecht, 56, of Laguna Niguel in May after a 28-year-old woman complained to the Orange County Sheriff's Department that her former choir director forced her to have a sexual relationship with him when she was just 15.
Costa Mesa detectives took over the investigation after Sheriff's investigators said any potential abuse in their jurisdiction happened beyond the ten years prosecutors have to file charges in sexual abuse cases, a Sheriff's spokesman said.
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| ARRESTED: Albert Lee Schildknecht of Laguna Niguel, a former choir director at St. Timothy Roman Catholic Church, was arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old girl more than a decage ago. |
After several weeks of investigating, Costa Mesa detectives decided they had enough evidence to arrest Schildknecht on suspicion of two counts of oral copulation and one count of digital penetration in incidents the police allege took place in 1995 and 1996 when the woman was 16.
Investigators asked the Orange County District Attorney's Office to file charges against him under California law's extension of statute of limitation section, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Robert Phillips.
Schildknecht was recently put on leave from his job as a pianist at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano because of the allegations of sexual misconduct, church officials said. He later resigned.
"(Church officials) knew for a long time this guy was doing this and they let it go on and on," said attorney John Manly, who is representing Schildknecht's accuser. "This young girl's life was being destroyed. All they needed to do to stop it was pick up the phone and call police."
Schildknecht has also worked at Saint Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point and Corpus Cristi Catholic-Christian Community of Aliso Viejo.
"We hope that this great effort on behalf of the police and district attorney encourages other victims to come forward, seek help and healing, and report their abuse directly to law enforcement – not the church – in order to stop the sexual abuse of Orange County's kids," said Joelle Casteix, southwest regional director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Anyone with additional information or who believes they may have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Craig Kelsey at 714-347-8794.
Contact: Kimberly Edds 714-796-7829 or kedds@ocregister.com
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