Question and Protect your Children:

Volunteer chaplain ousted after arrest
JUVENILE HALL: Dennis Craig Hackett is accused by a relative of molesting her when she was 12.


10:00 PM PDT on Monday, May 1, 2006
By LISA B. McPHERON
The Press-Enterprise


A Grand Terrace man has been stripped of his volunteer chaplain's position with the San Bernardino County Probation Department since being arrested and charged with three counts of molestation, officials said Monday.

Dennis Craig Hackett, 49, is accused of abusing a relative when she was 12 years old. The relative reported the abuse to the Colton Police Department last week, according to police Lt. Mark Owens.

"There was a significant emotional event for her that kind of brought everything to the forefront," Owens said. He declined to elaborate.

James Curtis, Hackett's attorney, said his client plans to release a statement about the allegations later this week. Hackett, who was arrested Thursday, posted bail Monday, Curtis said.

The San Bernardino County district attorney's office on Monday charged Hackett with three felony counts of committing lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, records show.

The charges involve incidents alleged to have occurred in a period stretching from Dec. 1, 1998, through Dec. 7, 2000.

Hackett had been a volunteer with the Probation Department's Religious Concerns Committee since 1992, Deputy Chief Probation Officer Michelle Scray said Monday. The committee is composed of religious advocates from the community.

Scray said he will no longer be allowed to volunteer because of the charges.

She said there is no indication that Hackett abused children at San Bernardino Juvenile Hall, where he did the majority of his volunteer work in religious mentoring.

Scray said employees are in the vicinity when chaplains lead services or Bible study.

Reach Lisa B. McPheron at (909) 806-3064 or lmcpheron@PE.com


Online at: http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_News_Local_B_bmolest02.13156f67.html