Sex charges dropped against former pastor

Deepa Bharath

The district attorney on Friday dropped sex abuse charges against a

former Costa Mesa pastor accused of molesting a boy about 25 years

ago.

Denis Lyons, 69, the pastor of St. John the Baptist Church on

Baker Street for 18 years, walked out of Harbor Justice Center a free

man on Friday, three weeks after a U.S. Supreme Court decision struck

down a California law that allows prosecution of old sex crimes. He

was out of jail before Friday’s hearing on a $100,000 bail.

Costa Mesa Police arrested Lyons on April 25 in his Leisure World

home in Seal Beach and charged him with one count of performing a

lewd and lascivious act against a child younger than 16 and four

counts of oral copulation -- all felonies.

The Supreme Court ruling that the government cannot retroactively

erase statutes of limitations is frustrating for victims, said Deputy

Dist. Atty. Beth Costello, who prosecuted the case against Lyons.

“It’s really difficult because it took the victim several years to

get the courage to come forward,” she said. “He’s not going to get

his day in court.”

Costello said she is disappointed that the victim “got his hopes

up.”

“He was on the road to recovery,” she said. “In this case, justice

wasn’t done.”

Lyons had pleaded not guilty on all counts. His attorney, Greg

Pohlson, said his client is “relieved.”

“He has always denied the charges and continues to deny the

charges,” Pohlson said. “It’s always good to have the charges dropped

and prevent the case from going to a jury trial.”

Costello said she believes that the prosecution had “strong

evidence” against Lyons, which makes it “all the more frustrating.”

The investigation against Lyons began during spring 2002, when a

38-year-old Costa Mesa man told police of incidents involving Lyons

and him between 1978 and 1981.

The district attorney’s office released a detailed complaint

against Lyons from the victim. The man said his family sent him to

Lyons for counseling and that the priest touched him inappropriately

and engaged in sexual acts during these sessions.

Prosecutors say they also talked to three other victims who told

officials Lyons had molested them.

Lyons retired last year and “will not be active in ministry

anywhere in the future,” said Shirl Giacomi, chancellor of the

Diocese of Orange.

“He was placed on administrative leave [after his arrest],” she

said. “He retired shortly after that and he will not be functioning

as a priest in the future.”

Giacomi said Lyons will continue to receive a pension.

“He had admitted to improper behavior with adults in the past, but

never with minors,” she said.

John Manly, an attorney who represents several victims of sex

abuse by the clergy, said all his clients have one thing in common.

“They want these men in jail,” he said. “They’re concerned they’ll

do it again. It’s very frightening that any of these men can move

right next door to us and no one will ever know.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.