The Kern County District Attorney’s Office has announced the conviction of 39-year-old Jesse Cruz for 11 counts related to child molestation.

The full release can be seen below:

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced a significant child molestation conviction today. In a case presented by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Allen, a Kern County jury found defendant Jesse Cruz guilty of 10 counts of child molestation and 1 count of possession of child pornography.

Between January 1, 2018 and February 3, 2021, Jesse Cruz sexually molested a young female victim in her home in South Bakersfield. The victim was 9 years old when the abuse started, and the abuse continued until after her 11th birthday. The victim’s mother located a cell phone which contained several photos and videos depicting Cruz engaged in acts of child molestation with the victim. Cruz would bribe the victim in order to gain compliance for the unlawful sexual acts. Cruz is currently 39 years old.

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented on the conviction: “Continuous sexual abuse of a child can affect child victims for the rest of their lives, and sentences for child predators must account for the lifelong impacts that such crimes have on victims.”

Sentencing is set for February 15, 2022, before Superior Court Judge Brian McNamara. Jesse Cruz faces a prison sentence of up to 120 years to life, plus 14 years.