Man Suspected Of Six Counts Of Lewd Acts With Children Expected In Court

A Coachella Valley man accused of molesting two underage girls about a decade ago is expected in court Thursday for a hearing intended to determine if there is enough evidence for him to be ordered to stand trial on a half-dozen felony charges. John Williams, 53, of Thousand Palms is facing six counts of lewd acts with children under the age of 14, with a sentence enhancing allegation of more than one victim. One of the alleged victims contacted law enforcement last October, and the charges — which involve crimes that allegedly occurred between 2008 and 2009 — were filed Jan. 23. Williams was arrested around 5 p.m. that day by the Cathedral City Police Department on Boca Chica Road, according to jail records. He is being held in the Indio jail in lieu of $1 million bail and faces a possible life sentence if convicted, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall said. The preliminary hearing is meant to enable a judge to determine if there are grounds for trial.