California men sentenced for sexual assault of minors

Two separate legal cases in California have resulted in convictions for the sexual assault of minors.

In Anaheim, 69-year-old Tomas Cruz was sentenced to 101 years to life in prison. He was convicted of nine felony sex charges involving the molestation of four girls, some of whom were as young as five years old. Prosecutors stated that Cruz abused his position of trust within a multifamily home where the victims lived with him. While defense counsel argued for a lesser sentence based on psychological evaluations, the court imposed the significant term following the pattern of repeated abuse.

In Huntington Beach, 63-year-old Charles Robert Jacques, a former substitute teacher and foster father, was convicted of 15 felony sex counts. Prosecutors alleged that Jacques groomed and assaulted girls under his care, including two sisters who had been placed in his home for protection. Evidence presented during the proceedings included records of inappropriate online searches. Jacques was arrested in 2021 following investigations into the assaults.