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Sexual abuse suspect nabbed in Ariz. |
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Friday, 07 March 2008 |
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By Mike Gervais
Register Staff 3-6-2008
A former Bishop resident suspected of child molestation was recently tracked down in Arizona and brought back to Inyo County to face charges.
The Inyo County District Attorney’s Office has charged Kevin Michael Fitzsimmons, 35, with four counts of child molestation, with a different victim alleged in each count. He is being charged with two counts of engaging in multiple acts of substantial sexual conduct with a child under the age of 14 and two counts of engaging in lewd acts with a child under the age of 14. The alleged crimes all took place in Bishop.
According to Inyo County Assistant District Attorney Mark Johnson, who is handling the case on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office, the alleged crimes occurred between 1999 and 2001, at which time it is believed Fitzsimmons lived in Inyo County before moving to Arizona in 2007.
Local authorities began investigating the case in 2006, when, Bishop Police Detective Dave Jepson said, the first two juveniles came forward. According to Jepson, those individuals reported the crimes to the Bishop Police Department at the same time. Later in the investigation, other two juveniles brought forth allegations.
With four suspected victims on record and after some investigation, the Inyo County Superior Court issued a warrant for Fitzsimmons’ arrest.
Law enforcement officers in Yuma, Ariz. were able to locate Fitzsimmons, and Inyo County District Attorney Investigator Brian Dressler and Bishop Police Department Detective Dave Jepson flew to the Sunshine State to make the arrest.
With assistance from Arizona authorities, Jepson and Dressler served the warrant and arrested Fitzsimmons in Yuma on Jan. 28, 2008.
Fitzsimmons was held in Arizona until being extradited to Inyo County.
According to Johnson, finding Fitzsimmons years after the alleged crimes took place could have been a difficult task if it wasn’t for the dedication of local law enforcement and the cooperation of out-of-state authorities.
“Law enforcement has done an outstanding job investigating the case even though the events allegedly occurred several years ago,” Johnson said.
Fitzsimmons was transported back to Inyo County and arraigned on the four charges on Feb. 19, 2008. The suspect is currently being held in Inyo County Jail in lieu of posting his $500,000 bail.
Fitzsimmons’ next court appearance, a settlement conference, is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 in Independence. That conference will be open to the public.
If Fitzsimmons is convicted of just two of the alleged counts, he could face a 15-year to life-in-prison sentence under California’s “one strike” law.
According to Johnson, the one strike law “is similar to the three strikes law. The Legislature created the one strike law, where if certain conditions are satisfied, the defendant can face life in prison.”
Johnson is urging anyone who may have information regarding the charges against Fitzsimmons to contact Agent Dressler at the D.A.’s Office.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 April 2008 )
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