Updated 6:05 p.m. Monday
An accused child molester, the owner of a Poway karate studio, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on more than 500 charges after he allegedly had unlawful sex with a girl over a three-year period.
Josh Thomas Churchill, is the owner and operator of United Studios Self Defense Karate Studio, located at 13331 Poway Road.
Churchill, 31, was ordered held on $25 million bail following his arrest Thursday on suspicion of multiple molestation charges, including oral copulation, sodomy and lewd acts on a child, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Churchill is accused of committing the molestation at various locations, including the karate studio, sheriff’s Lt. Jeffrey Duckworth said.
Duckworth said investigators know of one victim and are asking other possible victims to come forward if they have information.
NBC7 reported that Churchill filed a civil lawsuit last week against a former employee and her father, who he said threatened to attack him. The station reported that a woman filed a countersuit in which she alleged that she had been involved sexually with Churchill since she was 14 years old.
Another accused child molester, also a karate instructor, was arrested in a Tierrasanta case.
– City News Service