Watsonville

Juror Awards Over $1 Million to Victim in Sexual Battery Case Against Watsonville Councilman

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WATSONVILLE, Calif. — A civil court jury has awarded over $1 million in damages to a man who accused a Watsonville City Councilman of sexually assaulting him as a child. The incident allegedly occurred in Los Angeles almost two decades ago. Councilman Jimmy Dutra, who faced allegations of sexual battery and lewd acts on a minor, was found liable after a weeklong trial followed by approximately three days of deliberations. Stephen Siefke, the plaintiff, testified that he was only 12 years old during a 2005 visit to Disneyland with his family, when they stayed at … Read more

Local Council Member Found Guilty in Child Sexual Assault Case in Watsonville

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Watsonville, Calif. — A city council member from Watsonville was found guilty of sexually assaulting a child by a jury on Friday, highlighting a grave breach of trust within the small coastal community. The conviction of the local government official follows a closely-watched trial that exposed unsettling allegations against the once-respected council member. During the trial, prosecutorial evidence presented in court depicted repeated instances of abuse, which the victim, in heart-wrenching testimony, outlined occurred over a series of months. The allegations first came to light following a probe initiated by local authorities after concerned parties … Read more