Amended charges filed in alleged sexual-abuse case

PINEVILLE, Mo. -- Most of the child-sex charges filed against two southwest Missouri church leaders have been dropped because of the statute of limitations. And a Missouri Supreme Court decision expected in coming months will determine whether the remaining charges will be dropped as well.

Paul S. Epling, 53, and his brother, Tom Epling, 51, were among five church leaders from two affiliated churches accused of abusing young girls from their congregations, sometimes as part of a ritual or ceremony.

The charges initially filed against the Eplings, both deacons of Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church in McDonald County, stemmed from the alleged sexual abuse of two girls from 1976 to 1983.

Assistant prosecutor Dan Bagley filed amended charges against the brothers Friday after their lawyer argued in a court filing that the brothers faced improper charges.

Tom Epling had faced five counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, but those charges were replaced Friday with two counts of felony sodomy.

Paul Epling had faced two counts of first-degree statutory rape and five counts of first-degree statutory sodomy. He now faces one count of felony rape and two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy.

Bagley said the amended charges reflect state law at the time of the alleged crimes.

The defense argued that the brothers had been charged improperly under statutes enacted in 1995 and that some laws in effect when the alleged crimes occurred had time limits that had already expired.

But Bagley said he does not believe crimes alleged to have occurred before 1979 will be subject to the statute of limitations problems.

He said the Missouri Supreme Court is considering an unrelated case that could provide guidance. A ruling in the case, State v. Graham, is expected within the next two months.

The Eplings are scheduled to appear Monday in McDonald County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing, along with the pastor of the church, Raymond Lambert, 51, and his wife, Patty Lambert, 49.

Statute of limitations questions are not an issue in the Lamberts' cases because their alleged crimes occurred from 1995 to 2005.

The McDonald County case is linked to one in neighboring Newton County, where similar charges have been filed against the pastor of a church commune that is an offshoot of Lambert's church. In that case, a preliminary hearing for the Rev. George Otis Johnston, Lambert's uncle, has been held, and a judge found enough evidence to go to trial.