RUNNING SPRINGS: Church youth leader arrested in underage sex case

By Richard Brooks
Press-Enterprise
July 15, 2015

http://www.pe.com/articles/ren-773433-church-bernardino.html

A 24-year-old Orange County church youth leader was arrested in an underage sex case involving a 13-year-old girl, say San Bernardino County sheriff's officials.

Fullerton resident Yanhao Ren -- who goes by Eric Ren -- and the girl were in the back of a vehicle parked along a turnout off Highway 330 near Fredalba Road near Running Springs at 11:55 p.m. Sunday, July 12, when California Highway Patrol officers stopped to check on them, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.

"The victim and Ren told detectives that they began a sexual relationship in May of 2015," according to the statement. "Investigators have determined that ... they engaged in several sexual acts in the counties of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino."

For the past two years, Ren has been a youth leader for Evangelical Formosan Church in Rowland Heights and has attended the church since 2006, sheriff's officials say.

The girl is believed to have met Ren while attending youth programs at the church.

Ren pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of a lewd act with a child during his arraignment Wednesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court, online records show. His bail is $250,000.

Anyone with additional information may call Detective John Everman at 909-387-3615.