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SAN BERNARDINO – A former pastor at the Muscoy United Methodist Church was sentenced on Wednesday to 308 years in prison for sexually assaulting four boys. Stephen James Howard, 58, of Fontana was found guilty of 32 felony counts total; 20 counts of Lewd Acts Upon a Child, 6 counts of Oral Copulation of a Person Under 16, and 6 counts of Sodomy of a Person Under 18.

“Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutor and the Family Violence Unit support staff, we were able to remove this child predator from our community and put him behind bars where he belongs for the rest of his life,” District Attorney Mike Ramos said. Howard was the lead pastor from 2001 to 2014 when he was arrested. Prior to being the lead pastor, Howard was the youth director in Ontario from 1989 to 2001.

The molestation of each of the victims began at the age of 12-years-old. “At the time of his arrest, the victims ranged in age from fourteen to thirty-six,” said Mann. “The defendant was the pastor, mentor, and father figure to all of these victims. Their bravery in coming forward, and courage in testifying, has ensured that this predator will not walk the streets again.”