Judge takes testimony under advisement

PINEVILLE – After more than two hours of testimony from two alleged victims, a Newton County judge has taken the case against two McDonald County church leaders accused of child sexual abuse under advisement.

Judge Greg Stremel said this afternoon he wanted to review a court transcript of testimony in a preliminary hearing for Raymond Lambert, pastor of the Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church.

The hearing was held at 1 p.m. Monday in the McDonald County Circuit Courtroom. The case was reassigned after a request by prosecutors Steve Geeding and Dan Bagley.

No court date has been set for Raymond Lambert at this time.

Stremel also delayed setting a court date for Lambert’s wife, Patty, saying he wanted to hear more arguments in the case and wanted to review court transcripts.

A prosecution request for a continuance in the case against Tom and Paul Epling was granted, pending a ruling on an unrelated case which is currently before the Missouri Supreme Court.

Two of the charges against Raymond Lambert were also amended this afternoon, because of the age of the victim at the time the alleged incidents took place.

Raymond Lambert faces a total of seven felony counts: a Class C felony charge of sexual abuse; three Class C felony charges of second degree statutory sodomy, and three Class D charges of second degree child molestation. Charges allege he acted in concert with his wife, Patty Lambert, in molesting a girl who was less than 17 at the time of the alleged incident, and of acting in concert with another church member, Laura Epling, of molesting a girl under the age of 17 at the time of the alleged incident.

More on Monday’s court proceedings will be featured in Tuesday’s edition of the Neosho Daily News.

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