Hayward Catholic School Employee Arrested for Child Molestation (CA Penal Code 288.5, 288.3, 288(C))

Since 1985, when renown priest (name withheld for privacy) was arrested in Louisiana for having had inappropriate relationships with up to 39 children over a period of 11 years, the Catholic Church has been the focus of a good bit of criticism concerning its priests; but what about the workers in Catholic schools?  Recently, 29-year-old (name withheld for privacy) was arrested on suspicion of having molested a young boy at All Saints Catholic School in Hayward.  The boy is 14 years old and local law enforcement officials say that the abuse went on for about 2 years, both in the school cafeteria and at her home. Evidently, she was working in an after-school program at the institution when the alleged incidents occurred.  She has been charged with child molestation (CA Penal Code 288.5), contacting a minor with the intent to commit a felony  (CA Penal Code 288.3) and several counts of oral copulation on a child by force (CA Penal Code 288(C)).

If prosecutors can prove that she had sexual contact with a minor under the age of 14 for 3 months or more, then she will face felony penalties (at conviction), meaning either 6, 12, or 16 years in a California state prison.  Violation of CA Penal Code 288.5 is also considered a ‘strike’ under the three strikes law and lifetime registration as a sex offender.  If she is convicted of the charges pursuant to CA Penal Code 288.3, she will face additional penalties of 16 months to 3 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine. As for the oral copulation of a minor charge, she could spend up to 8 years in state prison since there is a more than a 10-year gap between her age and the age of the child in question.