People v. Ward CA3

FACTS

In November 2011, law enforcement officers responded to a report of defendant sexually abusing his 13-year-old stepdaughter. Defendant was divorced from the victim’s mother, but continued to live in their home. According to his ex-wife and the victim, defendant isolated the victim from her siblings and her mother, then would fondle her breasts and her buttocks. This abuse had been going on for the past two years. The last incident of abuse occurred a week prior when defendant pulled down the victim’s pants and put his penis “between the lips of her vagina,” then stated he had gone too far. The victim told law enforcement officers she was scared and, as a result of the abuse, kept to herself. The victim later told investigators that defendant told her “if she ever told anyone, she would regret it.” She was too scared to tell defendant to stop, and she had nightmares about him killing her family. Further investigation revealed defendant was a convicted sex offender1 and failed to update his registration in 2011. When law enforcement officers spoke to defendant, he denied abusing his stepdaughter. Defendant also said he had registered in 2011 but could only produce his 2010…