I found this in a new story:

Quote:


Authorities would say little about the most recent allegations beyond referring to the arrest warrant, which alleges violations of a law prohibiting lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. Such a crime is punishable by three to eight years in prison.





An arrest warrant must state a charge as a basis for the arrest: you can’t arrest someone unless there is probable cause some law is violated. You don’t have to list all of the charges on the arrest warrant: all you need is one to justify the arrest. The full list of charges to be brought at trial will be filed later and will surely add up to more than eight years if the prosecutor wants.

It’s not always a good idea to “throw the book” at a defendant who has the money for good lawyers. The risk is that the defense could try to steer the jury into a comprise on some minor charges. If the prosecutor can win the big ones he may want to avoid that chance.

I don’t know what constitutes “lewd or lascivious acts” in California (this is a state case; there is no federal issue) but I’ve got to assume any sort of “sexual battery” charge, i.e. actual physical contact, has a higher penalty, as would statutory rape, especially if California has defined any “special circumstances” involving drugged victims as a result of “date rape” drugs.
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"If they can't picture me with a knife, forcing them to strip in an alley, I don't want any part of it. It's humiliating." - windsock