Southern California pastor accused of molesting children

A 67-year-old Fullerton pastor has been charged with molesting children as young as 5 over more than a decade.

KABC-TV says John McFarland appeared in court yesterday but didn't enter a plea.

He's charged with committing lewd and lascivious acts with seven children. The eldest was 15.

Prosecutors say the molestations occurred between 2003 and 2017 while McFarland was a pastor at several Orange County churches.

Authorities say he most recently was head pastor at Orangethorpe United Methodist Church in Fullerton.

If convicted of all 11 counts, he could face a potential sentence of 179 years to life in prison.