Diamond Bar Church Volunteer Denies Sexual Molestation Charges

DIAMOND BAR, CA —A Diamond Bar church volunteer, Chee Lim Chook, 56, aka Desmond Chook, pleaded not guilty Monday to having a yearlong sexual relationship with a teenage girl and molesting her younger sister.

Chook is accused of molesting the sisters while volunteering at the River of Life Community Church in Diamond Bar, the District Attorney's Office says. The crimes allegedly took place at the church over two years, between November 2016 and November 2018, court records show.

He is facing two counts each of oral copulation of a minor, sexual penetration of a minor and distributing or showing pornography to a minor, as well as one count of unlawful sexual intercourse -- all felonies -- along with a misdemeanor count of child molesting.

Chook was ordered back to court on Sept. 16, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

In Feb. 2019, the older of the two sisters alleged that she was in a sexual relationship with Chook, according to Lt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau.

Meyer spoke with reporters shortly after Chook's arrest in March, saying that the incidents took place when the victim was just 16 years old and a member of the church.

Chook faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison if convicted as charged, according to the D.A.'s office.

City News Service contributed to this report.