People v. Gomez CA5

BACKGROUND

Defendant, who was 58 years old when he testified, had 13 biological children— ranging from three to 42 years old—with eight different women. Four of the children in his family, not all his biological children, testified that he molested them. One of them, Jane Doe, was his biological daughter. When she was eight years old, she moved to California with her mother and two half-siblings and began living with defendant. Doe had cerebral palsy and required help with bathing and dressing until she was 11 years old. From the time Doe was eight years old until she was 12 years old, defendant touched her breasts, vagina, and buttocks, and threatened to kill her or her family if she told anyone. He touched her in different rooms of their various residences, including in the bathroom when he was helping her shower and dress, which he continued to do even after Doe was able to shower and dress herself. When Doe told her grandmother about the touchings, her grandmother called the police and defendant was apprehended. During an interview with a detective, defendant repeatedly denied ever touching the children inappropriately, then eventually admitted that he caught Doe masturbating…