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Jury convicts Santa Paula man of stalking girl
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More from Local NewsA Ventura County Superior Court jury on Tuesday found a 58-year-old Santa Paula man guilty of stalking a 12-year-old girl, a felony.
Jurors said David Keefe also is guilty of two misdemeanor charges: failure to obey a court order and child annoyance involving the girl.
Keefe is facing three to four years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 4, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox.
"I am so utterly relieved," Fox said in an interview about the verdicts.
Fox said she will ask the judge to order that Keefe undergo a mental health assessment. "He needs to be put in a special program," she said.
The conviction for child annoyance means that Keefe will have to register as a sex offender, said Fox.
She said this stalking case differs from others because it involves a middle-aged man who is "in love" with a "young adolescent girl."
Fox said the girl was "a virtual prisoner" to Keefe after he told "anyone and everyone" about his fixation on her. The girl is now 16.
Fox said the stalking and Keefe's strange behavior occurred from summer 2004 to June 2006.
During closing arguments in the trial, Keefe's lawyer, Joe Lax, said his client didn't touch the girl, threaten her or have any kind of contact with her.
Lax said the girl testified that she didn't get "good vibes" from Keefe. She never said anything to detectives about fearing for her safety, said Lax. He told jurors that Keefe never meant to put the girl in fear.
Fox told jurors that Keefe had an "abnormal sexual interest" in the child, which manifested itself by a plastic Easter egg he gave the girl with a crucifix and necklace inside. Also, Fox said, Keefe sent a disturbing letter with lewd sexual comments to the girl's parents.
The girl's family got a permanent restraining order against Keefe on Dec. 6, 2004, after Keefe made a comment to a woman about an unsolved homicide and said the girl might end up dead in a ditch, too, according to court documents.
Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 31, 2007 at 5:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree.......this would have turned out into something very serious we would be reading about if he wasn't sick in the head and stopped. I am glad he is looking at atleast a few years behind bars. Was this his first conviction? Will he do half time? I pray not........
Posted by res1q7et on October 31, 2007 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How about tatooing "PERVERT" on his forehead to warn others who won't be looking at the sex offender registry?
Posted by rebel123 on October 31, 2007 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This story gives me the creeps. Seems four years is way too little.
Posted by Rachel on October 31, 2007 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When did Ventura County turn into a fascist state where everyone is screaming for those convicted to be put in prison and throw away the key? What happened to us? Why are we so eager to encourage longer sentences? Have increasingly harsher penalties made us feel better about ourselves or our cities?
Posted by flmrmom on October 31, 2007 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Indigogirl...I agree, Rachel must not have a daughter! It's a good thing her family took action to protect her before it was too late!
Posted by Scorpto on October 31, 2007 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This guy needs to be put away for a long time and if certain people step up to protect thier father and children he will. There is more coming for this creep. So let's just say it's not over for him yet. He is a violent and abusive individual who needs to be put away for more than he has been found guilty of so far.
Posted by interested on October 31, 2007 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Scorpto - do you know him?
Posted by Rachel on October 31, 2007 at 5:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not sure if I would feel differently, but I wonder if "indigogirl" and "flmrmom" would also feel differently if the defendant was a family member as well. But back to the debate at hand, the point is that these are members of society who do not benefit from harsher sentences. Prison does nothing to "reform" the criminal, but simply instills even more violence and resentment. And when those in custody are released, they are part of society and ours to "worry about" again.
Posted by AngryYouth on October 31, 2007 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What bubble are you living in Rachel? Who says prison is there to "reform". Maybe prison is there to keep bad people away from the good people? But I guess you've never been the victim of a crime much less a sex crime so you wouldn't know about that.
Posted by flmrmom on November 1, 2007 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rachel, it's people like you that fail so many children in our society by defending and making excuses for guys like this. Family member or not...We are supposed to PROTECT OUR CHILDREN!! I hope you don't have kids!
Posted by AnnaWhaat on November 1, 2007 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
flmrmom , I agree
Rachel,Yes sooner or later most of these prisoners will be walking the streets. That is why I get upset when people which Bubba gets ahold of someone else. Well Bubba may be out soon and have that urge to do it again!!!! Prison does have some reform, not alot. But job training and parolees get help with finding jobs, couseling etc. I do believe that if you cant do the time do not do the crime ! Most coming out of prison never want to go back..Its NOT a good place to be.
But when a man who has been arrested or convicted of lewd acts with small children, then you say you would trust him with your children , makes people doubt your mentality.
Posted by ironwoman on November 2, 2007 at 8:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Flmrmom is right!
Rachel, please go apply at the nearest jail or prison so you can help these fine individuals.
Posted by imbetnonit on November 2, 2007 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry Rachel, but no one, especially not a young innocent child, deserves to live in constant fear of being watched and stalked. It is a slow, psychological torture. This grown man does not need to be on the streets. At least she and her parents will have 4 years of peace.
Posted by brian_williams on November 3, 2007 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If the girl was a Hollywood Movie Star the guy would have been sentenced to 20 years.
If "he" was the Hollywood Star - No jury would convict him.
That sums up our society in a nut shell!
Posted by choctaw13 on November 5, 2007 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
speaking of first hand knowdledge, the man is a whacko for sure every move I made he was right behing me for several years, come out at night and try to watch thru houses, was in everyone's business always,called agency's on people on anything to start trouble like he was such a upright citizen,.thought he could run everybody's life would go on anybody's property like he owned it. the man is really a mental case dead out please consider giving this man a lot more time speak of ungodly things to u and to young kids (very young). He always thought HE had his rights to do WHATEVER he felt like. Called police on everyone he could for what ever reason so small. Even tho he was sneaking around checking out that poor girl he WAS IN LOVE WITH, but he was first hand full blown child pervert.. This man needs a VERY long time in prison. he even hated his father told me so. He was so grafic in describing kids and where they would go to have sex. Always had sex on his mind constantly.. so one who does know him.. STILL NOT GETTING ENOUGH TIME lock him away 20 years
Posted by AnnaWhaat on November 6, 2007 at 6:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
choctaw13,He does sound like a real MENTAL case !!!!
Posted by JACKSTER on November 10, 2007 at 7:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
this man should be euthanized.....i feel bad for the victim(s)
Posted by Lolita777 on November 14, 2007 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am a first cousin of this sick PERVERTED bastard. Karma, Buddha, God, Jahova, the whole entire universe, etc. finally came back around and caught up with him! Thank you Lord! 3 to 4 years is not enough for this man he should be castrated and put away for life!!!! He tortured me for years starting when I was very VERY young. The family was made aware and they were and still are in complete denial. Nothing was done. Because they were in denial the family was split apart. Thank GOD for the draft, he was drafted into the army and it finally stopped for me, the sexual abuse that is. The mental and emotional trauma lives on. He controlled me with fear. If I knew then what I know now, I would have done more to convict him then. I was a child! I feel like I could have saved all of the other victims after me. He has been getting away with these discusting sexual behaviors for 50+ years!!!
If anyone gets anything from this, PLEASE dont not take sexual abuse lightly. Be aware! It is so common in life. Dont be afraid to tell someone! It is not ok! If you tell someone and they dont believe you, take it further tell someone else, and someone else, dont be afraid. It is not your fault!!!
"WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO KEEP THE EVIL FROM THE INNOCENT"
Posted by choctaw13 on November 19, 2007 at 6:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lolita is it to late for u to press charges maybe he would get more time? Agree the family knew but would only say will u know David cant talk to him... DAH No u couldn't but the police sure could..He was always sneaking, he's a time bomb waiting to go off. Always had sex on the brain, knew about all the lil girls in town where they all went to have sex. Prevert is to good a word for him. Do hope he will wind up in prison being someone's b---- make him think twice maybe.
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