Man Guilty of Molestation Gets 68 Years To Life in Prison

Man Guilty of Molestation Gets 68 Years To Life in Prison

By Jeremy Adler

Contributing Writer

Thursday, July 12, 2007 | 12:00 am

Luis Ponce, Jr., a former paramedic for the Berkeley Fire Department, was sentenced Monday in Nevada County, Calif. to 68 years to life in state prison for multiple counts of child molestation.

Nevada County Deputy District Attorney Charles O’Rourke said he is satisfied with the sentence, although he was hoping for the maximum sentence of 135 years to life.

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“He won’t have an opportunity to molest any other children,” O’Rourke said.

Ponce, 50, was sentenced after being found guilty of eight counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child involving oral copulation, one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, one count of a lewd and lascivious act on a child, three counts of a forcible lewd act on a child and three counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object when the victim was unaware of the nature of the act, according to Nevada County Superior Court officials.

O’Rourke said Ponce showed no credible remorse in the courtroom.

“It was always about Luis Ponce and nothing to do with the kids,” he said.

Ponce videotaped himself performing sexual acts on several children under the age of 14, including his own adopted children, said O’Rourke.

Ponce and his now ex-wife had six adopted children.

He said that the authorities in Nevada County were notified after the discovery of the videotapes, along with thousands of other pornographic images of children stored on compact discs, in Ponce’s locker at the fire department in Berkeley.

Nevada County Sheriff’s Capt. Ron Smith said authorities found more evidence of child molestation after searching Ponce’s residence in Nevada County.

Ponce’s defense attorney, David Billingsley, did not return phone calls for comment.

Billingsley filed an appeal on Monday immediately after the sentencing, O’Rourke said.

Ponce was also charged in Alameda County with 56 counts of misdemeanor possession of child pornography, but they were dropped yesterday said officials at the Alameda County Superior Court.

O’Rourke said officials wanted to proceed with the Nevada County charges before the Alameda County charges since the former were more serious.

Ponce will not be eligible for parole for at least 45 years, O’Rourke said.