Juan-Antonio E. Jimenez was acquitted of more serious charges. He could face up to three years in prison.
By Juliana Shallcross/ Special to The Malibu Times
A Van Nuys jury on Monday found former Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s deputy Juan-Antonio E. Jimenez guilty of sexual battery against a 16-year-old girl during a traffic stop on Topanga Canyon Boulevard in December 2002. The jury convicted Jimenez on a misdemeanor charge for the incident, but acquitted him of a felony charge. Jimenez was also convicted of filing a false report, which he made in October 2002.
The jury deadlocked on felony and misdemeanor charges of sexual battery for a separate incident that allegedly occurred in September 2002.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22. Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Sandi Gibbons said Jimenez could face up to three years in state prison.
Last summer, Jimenez was indicted on two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object under threat of authority, one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a person under the age of 18 and one count of filing a false report. Misdemeanor offenses of sexual battery were also added on to the sexual penetration counts.
Jimenez was fired from the Sheriff’s Department shortly after his indictment last year, said Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Munisoglu, who prosecuted the case.
The jury convicted Jimenez for assaulting a 16-year-old girl on Dec. 20, 2002 on Topanga Canyon Boulevard near the 118 Freeway and Mayan Drive, Gibbons said. Munisoglu said Jimenez will be required to register for life as a sex offender.
Judge Martin Herscovitz was forced to declare a mistrial on sexual assault charges for an incident that allegedly occurred on Sept. 16, 2002 during a traffic stop near the 101 Freeway and Kanan Road in the Agoura area. After a two-week trial, jurors were deadlocked 6-6 on felony charges. The jurors were also stuck 9-3 on the lesser charge of sexual battery.
Gibbons said a decision has not been made as to whether the District Attorney’s office will charge Jimenez again on felony charges. Jimenez’ attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.