Inmates attack convicted pimp on his way to sentencing

A 47-year-old parolee awaiting sentencing for having sex with a 13-year-old girl and pimping her out was attacked and cut by two other inmates at a Rancho Cucamonga detention center, authorities said Tuesday.

Reginald Christopher was in a holding cell Friday awaiting a bus to take him to court when Steven Dennis, 40, and Steven Thurman, 22, attacked him with unidentified sharp objects, leaving him with minor lacerations to his hands, said Sgt. David Phelps of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

A deputy broke up the melee at the West Valley Detention Center by shooting the attackers with four rubber bullets and handcuffing them.

Christopher is facing up to life in prison after being found guilty in October of pimping out and having sex with a 13-year-old girl in Montclair and Ontario during a three-week period in 2008.

Before that, Christopher had spent about 26 years in prison for kidnapping, rape and robbery and parole violations.

His attackers, who were in custody on robbery and murder charges, were able to make their court appearances, but Christopher refused to go, Phelps said.

Judge Mary Fuller said Christopher would be brought to court by force if necessary, according to the San Bernardino Sun, which first reported the jailhouse attack.

ALSO:

Three more arrested in Rose Bowl brawl

16-year-old was behind wheel of big rig that crashed off 210 Freeway

Elderly Laguna Woods couple died in murder-suicide, authorities say

-- Tony Barboza