A 30-year-old Vallejo man, found guilty in October of multiple sex crimes against a child under 14 over a seven-year period, was sentenced Friday in Solano County Superior Court to 75 years to life, plus 69 years, four months in state prison.
Vinctonivish Dwane Lee heard Judge Daniel Healy hand down the prison terms during a hearing in Department 2 in the Justice Building in Vallejo, Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams said in a press release issued late Friday afternoon.
Jurors on Oct. 21 found Lee guilty of sex with a minor 10 years old or younger; four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor; rape of a minor under 14; three counts of forcible rape; three counts of forcible oral copulation; three counts of forcible lewd acts, one count of an attempted lewd act; and one count of furnishing marijuana to a minor over 14.
In a press statement issued after the verdict, Abrams, citing court records, said that from 2010 to 2017 Lee was entrusted with the care of a young child and “committed the unthinkable crimes” against her while living in Contra Costa and Solano counties.
As a young child, the victim was threatened with discipline if she reported the abuse, Abrams added. As the sexual abuse continued, Lee would have the victim’s siblings go into their rooms and close the door while he sexually assaulted her, she said.
In December 2018, the victim’s mother found her child’s diary, which had documented the abuse. The child came forward and “courageously spoke to law enforcement and courageously testified at trial regarding the abuse she suffered” from the age of 8 to 15, Abrams said, adding that unspecified “physical findings” also were presented at trial, corroborating the sexual abuse.
At Friday’s hearing, the victim gave a “courageous impact statement,” said Abrams.
The District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint in the case on Jan. 25, 2019. Lee, who has a prior criminal record, was arrested and taken to Solano County Jail, with bail set at $700,000. He was represented by the Solano County Public Defender.
After a preliminary hearing, he faced a held-to-answer arraignment on Nov. 7, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to more than 10 counts of sex crimes against a child, according to court records.
Retired Vallejo Police Detective Terry Poyser investigated the case. Deputy District Attorney Barry Shapiro led the prosecution and was assisted by Victim Advocate Shamar Lewis.
Abrams encouraged anyone who has been or knows of someone who has been a victim of sexual assault to call the District Attorney’s Office at 784-6827 or the Family Justice Center at 784-7635.
Source: www.mercurynews.com