When felony sex charges were dismissed against Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church minister Raymond Lambert, his wife Patricia Lambert and sister-in-law Laura Epling in 2007, McDonald County's prosecuting attorney at the time Janice Durbin, the lawyer for the family said witnesses against his clients were "no longer willing to testify."
The lawyer for one of the accusers told an Associated Press reporter that was not the case. The witnesses were still willing to testify, but the case was dismissed anyway.
Fifteen years later in October 2022, Raymond Lambert, 67, was charged with raping a 10-year-old girl in 2013.
Today, McDonald County Prosecuting Attorney Maleia Cheney charged Laura Epling, 66, with statutory sodomy in the second degree, a felony. Patricia Lambert, 65, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree-sexual contact, a felony.
According to the probable cause statement in the Laura Epling case, Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Travis Hitchcock came across statements from the earlier cases while investigating the charge against Raymond Lambert.
Between 4-4-2002 and 4-3-2004, at the age 15 to 16 years, Raymond Lambert instructed {the girl} to perform oral sex on him to which she complied. According to {the girl}, Laura Epling was present during the assault and acted in concert with Raymond Lambert by providing instruction and at one point placing her hand on {the girl's} head to assist her in the sexual act.Hitchcock's probable cause statement in the Patricia Lambert indicates she participated with her husband and the girl on at least one occasion.
Between 4-4-2003 and 4-3-2004, at the age of 16 years, {the girl} stated Patricia Lambert came into Raymond Lambert's bed where {she} and Raymond Lambert were lying naked. {The girl} further stated Patricia Lambert fully disrobed and joined Raymond Lambert and {her} in the bed. {The girl} further stated Patricia Lambert had knowledge of Raymond Lambert's sexual assaults on {her} for three years leading up to the incident when {she} was 16.
She said that on yet another occasion at Laura Epling's home, Lambert had been engaged sexually with Laura Epling, and that he asked the girl to perform an oral sex act on him. She testified that Laura Epling encouraged her to do as he had asked.
"In April, I learned that my grandfather thought that his daughters needed taking care of spiritually," {the woman}tells NPR. "And so in order to do that, in order to keep his daughters, he had sex with them. He then went on to father a child for most all of his daughters, or his daughter-in-laws [sic]."
Her grandfather was the late Cecil Epling, a minister originally from Ohio. According to Burkett, Epling wanted his seven sons and four daughters to become a tight-knit community, so he helped buy them the Missouri farm. When Epling died, his stepson, Raymond Lambert, took over the ministry. George Johnston later joined the family's church.
Family members say Cecil Epling passed his sexual beliefs to both pastors, teaching them that they needed to fulfill the sexual needs of their daughters and selected girls in the church.
"What's inside of them is God, and they think that they have all the power, all that it takes to take care of a woman," {the woman} says.
At this point, McDonald County Circuit Court online records do not indicate Raymond Lambert has been charged yet in connection with the allegations against his wife and sister-in-law.
Bond for the two women has been set at $2,000, cash only.
During Raymond Lambert's October 2, 2006 preliminary hearing on sex charges, a witness who appears to be the same one making the allegation against Laura Epling testified.
Joplin Globe coverage of the hearing indicates testimony was given by the girl about Lambert having sex with his sister-in-law.
She said that on yet another occasion at Laura Epling's home, Lambert had been engaged sexually with Laura Epling, and that he asked the girl to perform an oral sex act on him. She testified that Laura Epling encouraged her to do as he had asked.
The Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church was founded by Patricia Lambert's father, the late Cecil Epling and was featured in a multi-part investigation by National Public Radio in December 2006.
At that time, charges had also been filed in Newton County against another church pastor, George Johnson. Assistant Newton County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Dobbs offered the following comment to NPR:
"We have, in McDonald County, Raymond Lambert, who is married to his stepsister," Dobbs says. "We have George Johnston, who is an uncle to Raymond Lambert. It is alleged by some members of that community that the religious leaders may, in fact, be the biological parents of several children who have been born into this group."
The NPR report also featured an interview with a family member who was not involved in any alleged criminal activity, who offered insight into the Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church's beliefs.
"In April, I learned that my grandfather thought that his daughters needed taking care of spiritually," {the woman}tells NPR. "And so in order to do that, in order to keep his daughters, he had sex with them. He then went on to father a child for most all of his daughters, or his daughter-in-laws [sic]."
Her grandfather was the late Cecil Epling, a minister originally from Ohio. According to Burkett, Epling wanted his seven sons and four daughters to become a tight-knit community, so he helped buy them the Missouri farm. When Epling died, his stepson, Raymond Lambert, took over the ministry. George Johnston later joined the family's church.
Family members say Cecil Epling passed his sexual beliefs to both pastors, teaching them that they needed to fulfill the sexual needs of their daughters and selected girls in the church.
"What's inside of them is God, and they think that they have all the power, all that it takes to take care of a woman," {the woman} says.
Raymond Lambert is free after posting $5,000 bond. His next hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. December 14 in McDonald County Circuit Court.
No comments:
Post a Comment