People v. Mora CA5

INTRODUCTION

In 2019, defendant Jaime Mora was arrested after Jane Doe 1, a family member who was then 16 years old, disclosed that defendant had molested her between the ages of four and eight years old.1 Based on events between 2007 and 2012 involving Jane Doe 1, defendant was charged with oral copulation of a child 10 years of age or younger (Pen. Code, § 288.7, subd. (b); count 1), sexual penetration of a child 10 years of age or younger (Pen. Code, § 288.7, subd. (b); count 2), and continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 years (Pen. Code, § 288.5, subd. (a); count 3). Based on events in 2001 involving another family member, Jane Doe 2, defendant was charged with committing a lewd or lascivious act upon a child 14 or 15 years of age who is at least 10 years younger. (Pen. Code, § 288, subd. (c)(1); count 4).) In 2021, defendant was convicted by jury on counts 1 through 3, but the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on count 4 and the trial court declared a mistrial. The court sentenced defendant to mandatory terms of 15 years to life on count 1 and count 2, to run consecutively, and to a concurrent middle term of 12 years on count 3. Defendant filed a…