Jury finds 72-year-old Cambria man guilty of felony sexual battery
–On Feb. 1, a San Luis Obispo County jury found Herbert George Connor, 72, guilty of felony Sexual Battery by Restraint, one count of misdemeanor Battery and one count of misdemeanor Assault, for an attack that took place on April 25, 2017 in the town of Cambria. The jury reached their verdicts after a two-week trial and one day of deliberation.
Connor was accused of assaulting a 67-year-old Cambria woman with whom he had an “on-again, off-again friendship” in April 2017, according to a report by the Tribune. According to the woman, after helping her bring in groceries, Connor threw himself upon her and groped her, forcing her onto her bed before she somehow fell and injured her shoulder in a door jam.
“These verdicts send a strong message to our community that ‘no’ means ‘no’ when it comes to unwanted sexual contact”, said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Unwanted sexual contact, known as sexual battery by restraint, is a serious criminal offense and will be pursued by this office whenever the evidence is sufficient to support prosecution. I am very grateful to the jury for their hard work and their service to our community. I am also extremely proud of the courage displayed by the victim in coming forward to report the abuse and in telling her story to the jury.”
Sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2019, in Department 1 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, the Honorable Judge Jacquelyn Duffy presiding. Connor faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Dan Dow and investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
Comments
