Social Worker's Carnal Love

May 6, 2015 permalink

Dexter Carl Pleasure, a long-time California social worker, engaged in oral copulation with his wards.

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RANCHO CUCAMONGA: Molestation suspect is social worker, church worship leader

BY PETER SUROWSKI / STAFF WRITER, Published: April 29, 2015 Updated: 10:26 p.m.

Dexter Carl Pleasure, 51, of Rancho Cucamonga, was arrested Tuesday, April 28, 2015, on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child over a prolonged period and oral copulation with a child.

COURTESY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

A social worker who also works at an unidentified San Bernardino church was arrested on suspicion of molesting a child over a period of several years, sheriff's officials said.

Dexter Carl Pleasure, 51, was arrested at 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, at his home in the 10700 block of Church Street in Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County sheriff's officials said in a news release.

"Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims due to Pleasure’s access to young children over the past twenty years," the release said.

A "mandated reporter" -- somebody required by law to report signs of abuse -- called authorities on Monday to report a possible case of sexual abuse against a child younger than 10, San Bernardino County sheriff's officials wrote in a news release.

An investigation led to Pleasure, who has worked as a social worker at private foster care agencies for 20 years and told deputies he is a church worship leader, officials said.

"Pleasure had access and control over numerous children throughout his career taking them to doctor’s appointments and visitations," officials wrote in the release.

He did not tell them which church he worked for, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Teresa McMahon said. Other attempts to identify the church were unsuccessful.

According to Pleasure's Linkedin profile, his last job was at the Avant-Garde Foster Family Agency. CEO Gregory Estravit said Pleasure stopped working at the agency three months ago.

Pleasure worked as an administrator there, Estravit said, and had no opportunity to be alone with children. Estravit said the entire Avant-Garde staff is "shocked" at the allegations against Pleasure.

Following Pleasure's arrest, he was booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and continued abuse of a child under 14, jail logs show. His bail was set at $350,000.

Anybody with information was asked to call Detective Ryan Ford at 909-477-2800. Anonymous tips are accepted at 800-782-4763 or online at www.wetip.com.

Staff writer Ali Tadayon contributed to this report. Contact the writer: psurowski@pe.com, 951-368-9567, follow him on Twitter at @PeterSurowski and like him on Facebook.

Source: Press-Enterprise