Sex Crimes & Stalking Division
The Sex Crimes and Stalking Division is composed of a highly-trained and specialized team of Deputy District Attorneys, District Attorney Investigators, paralegals and secretaries dedicated to the aggressive and just prosecution of perpetrators of sexual assault and stalking crimes. Guided by Division Chief Valerie Summers and Assistant Chief John Rice, the division strives to treat the victims of sexual assaults with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Attorneys and staff in this division handled significant cases including prosecutions for sexually motivated homicide; sexual assaults by strangers, acquaintances or family members; lewd acts with children; stalking; human trafficking; pimping; pandering; failing to properly register as sexual offenders; indecent exposure and civil commitments of sexually-violent predators.
We continue to see a rise in the prosecution of human trafficking, primarily in conjunction with pimping and pandering charges. Felons, intent on profiting from this illicit business, seduce vulnerable young women and minors into the underworld of prostitution throughout the county. The division not only prosecutes offenders, but it works with law enforcement and community-based organizations, which try to rehabilitate the victims and re-integrate them back into society.
The division is committed to protecting the community from sexually-violent predators through the pursuit of civil commitment petitions resulting in hospitalization and treatment of those offenders found to be a substantial danger to the public. The division works to keep the public safe and informed as sexually violent predators reach the community treatment phase through community notification and public meetings.
Significant cases in 2011 included:
People v. Philong Huynh
A 23-year-old man’s body was found in an alley. He was wrapped in a blanket and his personal property was missing. Forensic examination and analysis revealed semen on his body and clothing. A toxicology analysis discovered both alcohol and narcotics in his system. A year-and-a-half later, a young Marine met the defendant, Huynh, in the Gaslamp District of San Diego. After a night of socializing with Huynh, the Marine awoke in the defendant’s bed. Evidence of narcotic intoxication and sexual assault were discovered. DNA linked the defendant to both the body in the alley and the sexual assault of the Marine. The defendant completed more than two years of medical school and had experience with the narcotic agent used in these cases. He also admitted to coworkers that he had drugged unwitting young men before in order to sexually assault them. A jury convicted the defendant was of first-degree murder, with special circumstances including the sexual assault of both the decedent and the Marine. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 10 years.
People v. Richard McKee
The indeterminate commitment of sexually violent predator Richard McKee was remanded by the Supreme Court to hold an evidentiary hearing on the issue of whether the indeterminate commitment violated McKee’s constitutional right to equal protection of the law. Evidence was presented to the trial court during a six-week hearing regarding the differences in both the danger to the public and treatment needs presented by sexually violent predators as compared to other civilly committed classes. In a ruling filed on April 25, 2011, the trial court found that the people met their burden to justify the disparate treatment of sexually violent predators. The trial court ruling is presently on appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeals, Division One, with an appeal back to the Supreme Court anticipated.
People v. Worthington
The defendant Worthington stalked his victim for more than 20 years. He was previously convicted of felony stalking in 1994 and of violating a restraining order in 2008 both involving the same victim. He was a former neighbor of the victim who obsessed over her and threatened those close to her. After his release in 1994 he continued to stalk her. He even got a job at her place of employment. In 2010 he continued his dangerous stalking behavior and attempted to enlist an acquaintance to throw a brick off a bridge onto the school bus she drove and to burn buses in the bus yard. After a jury trial he was convicted of stalking, criminal threats, solicitation to commit a crime, disobeying a court order, and felony assault. He was sentenced to more than eight years in prison.
People v. Culbertson
The defendant began molesting his biological daughter when she was 11. He also had her engage in sex acts with her twin brother while he watched and/or videotaped. He had his 9-year-old son have sex with a 16-year-old girl while he watched. The defendant engaged in sex with this same 16-year-old. He had sex and group sex with two other girls ages 16 and 17. The defendant provided drugs to these children. The defendant was convicted of multiple counts arising from these despicable crimes and was sentenced to 90 years-to-life in prison.
People v. Rico
The defendant molested three of his step grandchildren. The molestation occurred at different times between 1994 and 2010. One of the victims disclosed the crime while suffering from post traumatic stress. This led to an investigation and disclosure by the others. The defendant was convicted by jury trial of continuous sexual abuse of a child and numerous counts of lewd acts on a child. He was sentenced to 30 years-to-life in state prison.
People v. Webb
The defendant met the victim and was invited back to her apartment. He immediately forced himself on her and strangled her into unconsciousness. She awoke 45 minutes later. She was naked, bleeding and her prosthetic leg had been removed. Her cell phone and wallet were missing. A physical examination revealed that she had been both raped and sodomized. The defendant was convicted after jury trial and was sentenced to 30 years-to-life in prison.
