Source: mercurynews.com 9/9/25 A state inmate convicted of child molestation in Marin County in 1989 has been denied early medical release because of terminal cancer. Victor Wayne Cooper, 69, lived in Novato when the crimes occurred. He allegedly molested a 6-year-old Novato girl, the daughter of an acquaintance, over a five-month period. Cooper was convicted of four counts of lewd acts against the girl. A judge sentenced him to 60 years to life in prison. Cooper had two prior rape convictions. Last year, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation…
Read MoreTag: California
CA: SF Judge to Continue Case Despite Claims of Mental Incapacity
Source: davisvanguard.org 7/26/25 San Francisco – On July 23, 2025, in Department 17 of the San Francisco Hall of Justice, Deputy Public Defender Maria Avalo Cruz argued that her client’s intellectual disabilities rendered him incapable of navigating the digital world, and thus he lacked the intent to possess child pornography—grounds, she said, for dismissing the charges. Cruz asked Judge Brian J. Stretch to grant a motion to dismiss the case, contending that her client’s cognitive limitations made it impossible for him to intentionally obtain or store illicit content. Deputy District…
Read MoreB.R.A.V.E. San Quentin CA program provides safe space to discuss shame and trauma
Source: sanquentinnews.com 6/28/25 A new 26-week self-help program has been established at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, designed to help those convicted of a sex offense to understand why they committed the crime. The program’s name, B.R.A.V.E., stands for Bridging, Responsibility, Accountability and Vulnerability through Empathy. It began in January 2025 with 38 participants in attendance, which included volunteers and administrative and medical officials. The program gives participants a safe place to understand the trauma they have caused without fear and stigma. This environment will encourage participants to freely discuss the…
Read MoreCA Extreme sentencing: OC tutor gets 235 years for molesting 2 students at after-school program
Source: ocregister.com 7/18/25 [ACSOL is posting this to show an example of extreme sentencing] A tutor who sexually assaulted two boys for more than a half-decade while working with them in an Orange County after-school program was sentenced on Friday, July 18, to 235 years to life behind bars. The sentence of Zeta “Jimmy” _______, 53, in a Santa Ana courtroom — officially 235 years, eight months to life — came a little more than two months after a jury convicted him of a dozen felony counts of lewd acts…
Read MoreCA: Humboldt County compliance sweep fails to find any registrants who reoffended
Source: lostcoastoutpost.com 6/6/25 Between May 19th and May 30th, 2025, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sex offender registration compliance sweep throughout the County of Humboldt. Representatives from the Arcata Police Department, Rio Dell Police Department, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office and State Parole assisted during the operation. During compliance sweeps, law enforcement attempts to contact registered sex offenders in Humboldt County to ensure each offender is following their registration requirements. Pursuant to California Penal Code 290, sex offender registrants are required to register in person with the law…
Read MoreCA: Senate Approves Senate Bill 680 As Amended
Source: ACSOL The California Senate approved Senate Bill 680 (SB 680) on June 4 by a wide margin. The only person who voted against SB 680 was Senator Scott Weiner, author of the Tiered Registry Law. “We commend Senator Wiener for once again protecting individuals charged with or convicted of a sex offense,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “It is unfortunate that the remaining state senators chose to ignore the fact that registrants have a low rate of re-offense.” The original version of SB 680 could have added up…
Read MoreCA: CASOMB Approves Point Paper Opposing Bill That Could Add 30,000 People to Registry
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) today approved a point paper opposing Senate Bill 680, a bill that could add 30,000 people to the California sex offender registry. Specifically, the bill could require individuals convicted of illegal intercourse (Penal Code Section 261.5), also known as statutory rape, to register for the first time if the difference between the age of the perpetrator and the victim was at least 10 years. If passed, the bill would be applied retroactively and include convictions that are 30 years old or older. “The…
Read MoreCA: The Financial Fallout Over Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuits in California
Source: nytimes.com 5/9/25 The law set off a wave of child sex abuse litigation that has pushed some public institutions to the brink of financial crisis. School districts face up to $3 billion in claims. In 2018, an anonymous tip led the authorities in California to Eric Uller, who for decades had volunteered at an after-school program associated with the Santa Monica Police Department. An investigation revealed Mr. Uller, 50, had molested at least four boys on the city’s watch. Allegations from dozens of others soon emerged, dating to the…
Read MoreCA: In a break from other Democrats on AB 379, Newsom says soliciting older minors for sex should be a felony
Source: yahoo.com 4/29/25 Democrats in the California Legislature drew national attention this week when they refused to advance legislation that sought to increase the punishment to a potential felony for soliciting a 16- or 17-year-old for sex, inspiring a rare public rebuke from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The move by lawmakers to strip the felony charge from the bill created a firestorm of criticism on social media and raised questions about priorities of lawmakers elected to the California Statehouse. To some, the refusal to stiffen the penalty became a glaring example…
Read MoreCA: Elderly Parole Program Exclusions AB 47 Approved by Assembly Committee
Source: ACSOL The Assembly Public Safety Committee today approved Assembly Bill 47, which if passed, would exclude many people convicted of a sex offense from the Elderly Parole Program. That program currently allows individuals who have spent at least 20 consecutive years in prison and are at least 50 years old an opportunity to be considered for release from prison. No one is automatically released from prison because of the Elderly Parole program. Instead, they must participate in a hearing led by representatives from CDCR. “More than 20 people testified…
Read MoreAction Alert for CA: Call to oppose Assembly Bill 47
The CA Assembly Public Safety Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing on April 22 that includes Assembly Bill 47. If passed into law, it would exclude many people convicted of a sex offense from the benefits of the Elderly Parole program. We must oppose this bill! The Elderly Parole program currently provides for the release of individuals who have been in custody for at least 20 continuous years and are at least 50 years provided that certain conditions are met. The program currently allows release of individuals convicted of…
Read MoreCA: Manteca police officer arrested, accused of sexual offenses, DA says
Source: kcra.com 4//25 [ACSOL is posting this to show an abuse of authority] RIPON, Calif. —A Manteca police officer was arrested on Monday after he was charged with multiple sexual offenses, officials said. The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office said Officer Ryan ___ was charged with oral copulation of an intoxicated person, digital penetration of an intoxicated person and assault with intent to commit a sexual offense. … Manteca police said now that criminal charges have been filed, it is proceeding with an “internal administrative process.” The district attorney’s…
Read MoreCA: Rohnert Park: 30 sex offenders checked for compliance; 2 arrested
Source: mercurynews.com 4/6/25 [ACSOL is posting this as a warning] About 30 sex offenders living in Rohnert Park were checked for compliance with the terms of their supervision and registration requirements Friday, resulting in two arrests, police said. The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said it arrested 20-year-old Enzo Rafelly ____for attempted sexual exploitation of a child by attempting to exchange child pornography. A 45-year-old man, Paul Michael ____for , was arrested by Sonoma County Probation for a violation of his probation, police said without disclosing details. A third…
Read MoreCA: 6,800 child abuse victims to share record LA County payout
Source: dailyjournal.com 4/4/25 Los Angeles County reached a tentative $4 billion settlement with more than 6,800 childhood sexual abuse survivors in what will be the costliest settlement in the county’s history if approved, a news release on Friday announced. “On behalf of the county, I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was harmed by these reprehensible acts,” County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport said in the release. “The historic scope of this settlement makes clear that we are committed to helping the survivors recover and rebuild their lives – and to…
Read MoreAction Alert for CA! Call, then Show Up to Committee April 8 Hearing on Senate Bill 286 That Prohibits Early Release
Source: ACSOL The CA Senate Public Safety Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing April 8 regarding two bad bills the same day: Senate Bill 680 (see our action alert on 3/28 that we hope you have already called/written about) Senate bill 286 – Call ASAP starting April 1! If passed, Senate Bill 286 would prohibit individuals convicted of several offenses from release from early release from custody due to their age. In order to be considered for release, an individual must have served at least 20 years in custody…
Read MoreCA: Lawmakers using Senate Bill 286 for pushing to disqualify aging violent sex offenders from early parole
Source: dailybreeze.com 3/30/25 ‘Mary Bella’s Law ensures that rapists and child molesters serve their full sentences, no matter their age,’ said state Sen. Brian Jones A California lawmaker has proposed legislation, named after two Riverside County child rape victims, that would disqualify convicted killers and violent sex offenders from a program that allows for the early release of aging prisoners who have served lengthy sentences. Mary Bella’s Law, introduced as Senate Bill 286 by Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, goes before the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration on April 8.…
Read MoreCA: Former Senate Bill Resurfaces, Could Significantly Expand Number of Registrants
Source: ACSOL Senate Bill 680 was introduced this week by Senator Susan Rubio (Democrat, Ontario). If the bill becomes law, it could require thousands of people not required to register in the past to register for the first time. This bill is similar to Senate Bill 1128 which did not become law during the two-year legislative session that ended in late 2024. According to the current language of Senate Bill 680, individuals convicted of engaging in an act of intercourse with a minor who is more than three years younger…
Read MoreCA: Solano County deputies seize 120 terabytes of child porn, from RV home
Source: kcra.com 2/24/25 VALLEJO, Calif. —Deputies arrested a person after they seized more than 120 terabytes — or 120,000 gigabytes — of child porn from a home in Vallejo, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. On Thursday, the sheriff’s office said its investigators, along with Vacaville Police Department officers, searched the home of a person suspected of distributing and selling child porn. There, along with the massive collection of illegal porn, the sheriff’s office said it found 20 computers, a server and multiple anti-forensic and hacking tools. Photos shared…
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