CROWN POINT | Lake County prosecutors balked Wednesday at flying in twice the alleged victims of a child molestation case -- on the taxpayers' dime.

Deputy Prosecutor Judy Massa told Judge Diane Ross Boswell on Wednesday she would like to fly in the three alleged young victims in Ramon Valle's case two days before the July 21 jury trial to get their depositions.

"I wish there was a better solution," Massa said. "I don't have control over the office's finances."

Defense attorney Nick Thiros argued he would need more than two days to research anything that comes out of the interviews.

Boswell agreed and said either Thiros or Massa would need to fly out to California for the depositions or the alleged victims would need to be flown to Lake County for depositions and then again for the trial.

It would be expensive to fly them in several weeks before trial and again to testify at the trial, Massa said.

Valle, 36, faces six felony charges of child molesting for forcing three sisters -- ages 3, 8 and 9 at the time -- to engage in sexual acts between March 2003 and April 2004, court records allege.

Massa told Boswell on Wednesday the girls and their mother live in California, which is where the witness statements were made.

Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for the Lake County prosecutor's office, said Wednesday the administration will decide how to handle the issue.

Thiros suggested setting a firm trial date, then warned he would move for a dismissal of the charges against his client if the issue is not resolved.

Boswell set a July 9 hearing date to find out where the issue stands. Valle's jury trial already has been continued three times, court records show.

Valle, who listed addresses in Hammond and Highland, is out on bond.