Youth Pastor At Banning Church Accused Of Lewd Acts With A Child

BANNING, CA — A Banning church faculty member was behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of inappropriate acts with a child, police announced.

Nicholas Garrett Corl, 26, was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at Banning's Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. He was booked on suspicion of felony lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age and misdemeanor sexual battery (touching for sexual gratification), according to jail records.

The investigation into Corl began at approximately 3:42 p.m. Tuesday when an employee from Mountain Avenue Baptist Church, 1325 Mountain Avenue, contacted police about "criminal acts" against a child on church property, according to the Banning Police Department.

Corl, who has no documented convictions in Riverside County, has served at the church for two years and most recently held the title of Summit Youth Pastor, according to the organization's website.

"Nic is also very involved at Calvary Christain School, where he teaches a full day of classes, is the athletics director and basketball coach," the website states.

The Michigan transplant is married and played basketball for West Coast Baptist College, the site reads.

Anyone who may have additional information regarding the case is asked to contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at 951-922-3170.