Jury Takes Hour to Convict San Jacinto Church Volunteer, by Gail Wesson, The Press-Enterprise, August 22, 2007

Jury Takes Hour to Convict San Jacinto Church Volunteer

By Gail Wesson
The Press-Enterprise
August 22, 2007

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_H_hwright23.3e5ef55.html

California — A Hemet man who volunteered at a Christian church was convicted of molesting three boys and distributing child pornography by a Riverside County Superior Court jury that deliberated about an hour Wednesday.

Jeffrey Randolph Wright, 47, faces a sentence of more than 141 years up to a maximum of life in prison, prosecutor Burke Strunsky said by phone. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 21.

Wright was seen as a mentor to teenagers and used their trust to his advantage two years ago when he sexually abused three boys between the ages of 12 and 13, Strunsky said during the trial's opening statements last week in a Southwest Justice Center courtroom in French Valley.

Wright assisted with a youth group at Shepherd's House Church of the Nazarene in San Jacinto, according to testimony. Jurors heard from the three victims and a fourth teen from the church. Two others accused Wright of molesting them when they were ages 7 and 13 in a separate 1994 case in San Diego, Strunsky said.

Wright's lawyer, Jan Ronis, previously said Wright was found not guilty in the San Diego County case and Wright told the church pastor about the earlier case. The defense contended the sexual abuse allegations stem from people in the church community learning of the previous accusations.

Two of the teens testified they were friends with Wright's son, and said several incidents occurred when they were at Wright's home in Hemet and once at a church-sponsored event.

One teen testified he told his mother what happened after she discussed with him a newspaper account of sexual assault allegations against Wright.

Reach Gail Wesson at 909-806-3065 or gwesson@PE.com