Local man found guilty of child molestation

A 49-year-old Porterville man found guilty of child molestation is facing more than 500 years to life in prison for crimes that occurred between 2006 and 2010 and involved four victims.

On Monday, a jury found Frank Pineda guilty of 11 counts of forcible lewd act upon a child under age 14, three counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, two counts of oral copulation of a child under 10, single counts of digital penetration of a child under 10, a lewd act upon a child aged 15 and pandering, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office reported Tuesday.

The jury also found true special allegations regarding substantial sexual conduct and that there were multiple victims.

The trial was presided over by Judge Joseph Kalashian in Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division.

In a separate court trial after the jury trial, the court found Pineda guilty of failing to register as a sex offender and also found true a special allegation that Pineda had a prior conviction for rape in 1997, which also qualifies as a prior strike under California law, the DA reported.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 6 in Department 5 of the Visalia courthouse.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy DA Matthew Darby and investigated by Detectives Chris Gezzer and Bobby Saldana of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Investigator Brandon Hall of the DA’s Bureau of Investigations.