Southern California Man Gets 325 Years to Life for Child Molestations

Jesus Andrew Sapien, 44, of Port Hueneme, is seen in a booking photo. Courtesy of Ventura County District Attorney’s Office

A Southern California man was sentenced to 325 years in prison for molesting young children, authorities said Sept. 10.

Jesus Andrew Sapien, 44, of Port Hueneme was sentenced Tuesday for sexually abusing three children who he was able to access through a familial connection, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

“The defendant betrayed the trust of a close-knit family to commit unspeakable acts of sexual abuse against multiple children,” Benjamin Moreno, a Ventura County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case, said in a statement.

In May 2020, the mother of a 6-year-old girl reported to Port Hueneme police that Sapien had molested her daughter multiple times over several months, authorities said.

During the investigation, two more children came forward, accusing Sapien of repeated sexual abuse.

Last month, Sapien was convicted by a jury of 13 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child.

The jury also found all aggravating factors and special allegations to be true, including that the three victims were under 14, vulnerable, and that Sapien used a position of trust while engaging in significant sexual conduct.

Sapien was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 325 years to life in state prison.

“While nothing can undo the harm the defendant has caused, I hope this sentence provides the victims and their families the closure they so profoundly deserve and ensures that the defendant will never again harm a child,” Moreno said.

Former Teacher Sentenced

A former teacher at Beckman High School in Irvine was also sentenced Sept. 10 to more than 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to hiding cameras in school restrooms and other areas during a three-year span.

Siu Kong Sit, 38, of Rowland Heights, entered a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on March 29 for one count of possession of child pornography.

Federal prosecutors say Sit, who was a teacher at the school and served as a robotics team coach, began installing hidden cameras in restrooms on campus starting in February 2020.

In February 2023, the hidden cameras were discovered by a maintenance worker in the all-gender restroom near the school’s pool. The worker turned the items over to administrative staff, who then called the police.

“This defendant was every parent’s nightmare—rather than care for the safety and well-being of students, he exploited them in the most abhorrent way,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “It is important that we send a strong message of zero tolerance for those who take advantage of children.”

U.S. District Judge John Holcomb sentenced Sit to 17 1/2 years in federal prison and also ordered him to be placed on lifetime supervised release after his time is served. A restitution hearing is set for Nov. 8.

Jill McLaughlin contributed to this report.