Sunday School Teacher's Molestation Trial to Begin

Submitted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office

A former Newport Beach Sunday school teacher is scheduled to face trial tomorrow for molesting seven minor boys and possessing and distributing child pornography.

Christopher Bryan McKenzie Sr., 51, Costa Mesa, is charged with 15 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, one felony count of attempted lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, four felony counts of using a minor for sex acts, one felony count of attempting to use a minor for sex acts, two felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor, and one felony count of possession of child pornography with sentencing enhancement allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child and committing lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old against more than one victim.

If convicted, McKenzie faces a maximum sentence of 234 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Wednesday morning.

At the time of the crimes McKenzie worked as a swimming pool cleaner. The defendant was a volunteer Sunday school teacher at Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach between 2004 and 2006 and at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa.

On multiple occasions between March 31, 1996, and Jan. 8, 2012, McKenzie is accused of committing lewd acts upon seven different victims under the age of 14, including but not limited to masturbating, sexually penetrating, and orally copulating the victims. The defendant is accused of instructing several of the victims to remove their clothes and takingnude photos of the victims under the guise that the photos would be used for modeling for a sculpture.

The Newport Beach Police Department began investigating this case after one of the victims reported the crime, and the defendant was subsequently arrested in December 2012. The defendant is also accused of possessing and controlling child pornography.