Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 04/16/08

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED TO MULTIPLE LIFE PRISON TERMS FOR MOLESTING HIS TWO STEPDAUGHTERS

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that on April 14, 2008, the Honorable Rene Chouteau sentenced defendant Carl Albert Skidmore, 57, of Santa Rosa, to state prison for 290 years to life plus a term of 25 years, four months in prison, in two separate cases stemming from his molestation of two stepdaughters.

DA Passalacqua said, “We are pleased that this sexual predator will be placed behind bars for the rest of his life and unable to harm any children in the future. We hope this sentence brings some measure of peace to the victims in this case.”

On March 2, 2005, the victims reported to family and law enforcement that the defendant had been molesting them for some period of time. The older victim, then age 14, reported that the defendant had been molesting her since she was 12 years old and began having regular intercourse with her at age 13. She reported that he used psychological coercion, bribes, and fear to induce her to comply with his demands. The younger victim, then age 11, reported that the defendant had started molesting her three months before her disclosure. Santa Rosa Police Department detectives were called to the scene and investigated the case.

DNA evidence in the case established a match linking the defendant to the crimes against one of the victims. The jury also heard evidence relating to a prior similar crime committed by the defendant on a stepdaughter from a previous marriage.

On January 29, 2008, after a three week trial, a Sonoma County jury convicted Mr. Skidmore of nine different charges relating to sex crimes committed against his two stepdaughters.

Mr. Skidmore was sentenced under the “One Strike” sentencing scheme which greatly increases punishment for those convicted for specific sex offenses. Mr. Skidmore was sentenced to four consecutive terms of 50 years-to-life, plus three consecutive terms of 30 years-to-life for committing crimes against two or more victims, as well as for having a prior child molestation conviction from 1985.

Judge Chouteau also sentenced Mr. Skidmore in a separate case for crimes he perpetrated while incarcerated for the child molestation charges. While housed at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility, Mr. Skidmore solicited another inmate to assault relatives of the child molest victims. His plan was ultimately reported to detectives at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, who conducted an investigation into this conspiracy. Mr. Skidmore, along with three other family members, were arrested and convicted for the solicitation to commit assault.

Deputy District Attorney Carla Rodriguez prosecuted this case.