Ojai Man Sentenced to 55 Years for Child Molestation, Ventura County DA Announces

A Ventura County man has been sentenced to 55 years to life for multiple counts of child molestation, the

Ventura County District Attorney’s Office

announced on Tuesday. Steven Wayne Bower, 54, of Ojai, was convicted on September 25 on three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child and other special allegations related to the severity of these crimes and having more than one victim.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Suttner, who heads the Sexual Assault Unit, was the lead prosecutor in the case. “Today’s sentencing reflects the severity of the defendant’s actions and the impact they had on the lives of these young victims,” she said, in a statement made by the

District Attorney’s Office

. “We are committed to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our community and to holding accountable those who harm them.”

The abuses for which Bower was convicted took place between 2003 and 2011. The first victim reported an incident where she awoke to Bower touching her inappropriately while she was sleeping during a camping trip at about nine years old. The second victim described two separate incidents where Bower molested her while he was babysitting her at her home and during another camping trip a few months later, when she was around five or six years old.

Bower, who had close family ties with both of the girls’ families, faced several special allegations including substantial sexual conduct and multiple victims. These allegations added to the severity of his sentence. The jury also granted Ventura County jurisdiction to try the case. Further details of the charges can be found in the official District Attorney’s

press release

.

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