Friday, 01 June 2007 01:31
Former Youth Minister Answers To New Charges
Defendant John Magsayo, the intern youth minister
charged in connection with a December 2006 incident involving two minor age
girls, was once again in court this week.
The hearing was to respond to additional charges filed against him, which he
and his legal counsel, Robert Schell had argued in a hearing on May 24th
should be dropped by the court. The two new charges, felony
counts, which the DA’s office is basing upon evidence that one of the allegedly
abused minors was highly intoxicated, were answered to by the defendant.
Magsayo
entered a not guilty plea to the charges. In addition to the new charges,
Magsayo still faces charges that include lewd acts with a minor 15 years of age; oral copulation
with a minor under the age of 18; oral copulation with a minor under the age of
16; and contributing to the delinquency of minors, after his arrested on Dec 17th
2006 by the Amador County Sheriffs
Department. Magsayo was arrested after being discovered with the girls on
Electra Rd. near the Amador/ Calaveras County line. Magsayo and at least two of the girls with him
at the time had allegedly began drinking some Jagermeister alcoholic beverage
brought by one of the girls after which there was alleged sexual contact
between Magsayo and two of the girls. Judge David Richmond accepted Magsayo’s plea and a
trial date was set in September. Judge Richmond reiterated to both the defense
team and the people that there should be some attempt to resolve this case in a
meaningful fashion, prior to the September date.