Pastor David Helbling of Moreno Valley Arrested for Alleged Child Sexual Assault

Pastor David Helbling of Moreno Valley Arrested for Alleged Child Sexual Assault

Feb 21, 2024

A local pastor was arrested by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department officials for alleged sexual abuse of a child.

David Helbling, 79, or Moreno Valley, California, was identified as the suspect after law enforcement responded to reports of a previous child sex assault that occurred at a property on the 23000 block of Hemlock Avenue, KTLA reported.

On January 30, investigators discovered that a juvenile victim had allegedly been sexually abused by pastor David Helbling. “Neither the victim’s age nor gender was released,” KTLA confirmed.

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies subsequently searched Helbling’s Moreno Valley property on February 14. He was then arrested and taken into custody. Authorities confirmed to KTLA that evidence related to the child sexual assault was collected at that time.

“During the service of the search warrant, evidence related to the crime was collected, and Helbling was taken into custody without incident,” Riverside Sheriff’s officials said in a statement.

Sheriff’s deputies also confirmed that Helbling was arrested and booked on “multiple felony charges related to the crimes against the juvenile victim.”

Court documents indicate the specific charges against Helbling include suspicion of:

• One count of oral copulation/sexual penetration with a child under 10;
• One count of lewd acts with force on a child under 14;
• One count of committing three or more lewd acts with a child under 14;
• One count of kidnapping a child under 14.

The Riverside County pastor is also charged with a sentencing enhancement of kidnapping in the course of a crime, Patch.com reported.

“A YouTube video clip from 2020 shows Helbling delivering a sermon at The Blessing Center, located at 23525 Hemlock Avenue in Moreno Valley. Another clip from 2021 shows him singing with what appear to be The Blessing Center church members. The church could not be reached by phone Tuesday night,” Patch.com added yesterday.

CBS News reported that the Riverside County pastor is currently in custody at Banning’s Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on $2 million bail. He is scheduled for arraignment on March 1.

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies noted that the investigation into alleged child sexual predator David Helbling is ongoing. Authorities believe there may be additional victims and are urging anyone with further information related to a possible sex crime committed by pastor Helbling to contact Investigator McCracken at (951) 486-6710.

California No Longer Has a Statute of Limitations for Child Sex Abuse Claims

As of 2024, California survivors of child sexual abuse are no longer bound to a statute of limitations (deadline) when bringing a civil lawsuit for financial damages. California Assembly Bill 452 (AB 452), also known as the Justice for Survivors Act, took effect on January 1 of this year.

As a result of the landmark legislation, child sexual abuse crimes occurring after January 1, 2024, are no longer bound to the typical statute of limitations for civil claims.

What if My Child Sexual Abuse Occurred Before 2024 and the Passage of AB 452?

Unfortunately, the new AB 452 law only eliminates the statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse cases occurring on or after 2024. The legislation does not apply retroactively to past crimes, but survivors still have legal options and can file claims to secure justice.

For childhood sex crimes occurring before 2024, survivors can file a claim for financial compensation with Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) experienced Riverside, California, child sexual abuse attorneys.

Deadlines for child sex abuse survivors’ civil lawsuits related to crimes occurring before 2024 are as follows:

• By the victim’s 40th birthday
• Up to 10 years from the date of the incident
• Within three years of the reasonable discovery of injuries stemming from that crime (including post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD)
• Within five years of the discovery of the abuse

Moreover, in California, the law mandates that in childhood sexual abuse cases where the victim is harmed as a result of “an effort to cover up past assaults,” survivors may be able to recover treble damages. “Treble” equates to potentially triple the financial damages to be awarded in a civil case where a cover-up occurred.

Examples of damages that may be included in a child sexual abuse settlement of verdict include:

• Emotional trauma
• Medical costs (past & future)
• Counseling and therapy costs (past & future)
• Lost wages due to the abuse
• Reduced future earning capacity as a result of the abuse
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Diminished quality of life
• Psychological trauma

Dordulian Law Group’s Child Sex Abuse Division is of the most highly-regarded and experienced legal teams throughout the nation. Our dedicated child sex abuse attorneys have more than 50 years’ combined experience and have secured in excess of $200,000,000.00 for survivors while maintaining a 98% success record.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free and confidential Riverside pastor child sexual abuse consultation. DLG was founded by Sam Dordulian, an aggressive former sex crimes prosecutor who obtained life sentences against countless sexual predators and now fights for justice in civil court on behalf of survivors and their families. We aren’t afraid to take on powerful entities like schools, churches, and institutions. We’ll fight tirelessly to ensure you get the justice you deserve for a child sex abuse crime.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM to take the first step towards getting justice and maximum financial compensation.