A man who works as a pool cleaner and Sunday school teacher for Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa was arrested Friday on suspicion of lewd acts with a child.
Two unidentified Newport Beach men recently went to police alleging that 48-year-old Christopher Bryan McKenzie sexually molested them starting when they were eight and 16. One relationship reportedly began in the late '90s and ended in 2005, the other reportedly began in 2005 and ended in 2007. A press release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office says McKenzie will face arraignment this afternoon and is being charged with 10 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14. He is currently being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
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In an email obtained by the Orange County Register, lead pastor Todd Proctor told church members that neither of the men who claim to have been molested by McKenzie are affiliated with Rock Harbor and that there is no evidence of further misconduct taking place.
“The reality is that Chris is a well-known and committed volunteer,” Proctor wrote. “Many of our staff, volunteers, families and children have interacted with him.”
Proctor went on to say that situations like this require parents to have difficult discussions with their children about the evils of the world and the fallen nature of man. The church will be holding an informational session tonight at 7 p.m. to offer support for parents embarking on such discussions.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, McKenzie is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the Central Jail at Santa Ana. Records available on the Superior Court website indicate that he pled guilty to drunk driving in 2007. Anyone else who may have been a victim of McKenzie is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.
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