A Monterey County jury found Sonny Velasco, 33, of Salinas, guilty Sept. 14, 2026, in a case arising from an April 2024 incident at a family birthday party involving a 7-year-old girl. The convictions included lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14, assault with intent to commit a lewd or lascivious act on a child under 14, indecent exposure during an unlawful entry of an inhabited dwelling, and resisting a peace officer, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
Sentence and registration requirements
Velasco faces a maximum sentence of nine years and eight months in state prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026, before Monterey County Superior Court Judge Mark E. Hood. He also will be ordered to register as a sex offender, the District Attorney’s Office said. Two of the convictions are classified as violent felonies and count as strikes under California’s Three Strikes law, according to the District Attorney’s Office account reported by KSBW.
How California sex-offender registration works
According to California Courts, the state’s tiered registration system generally requires at least 10 years for Tier 1, 20 years for Tier 2, and 20 years or lifetime registration for Tier 3, depending on the basis for the designation. The California Department of Justice says its public Megan’s Law website does not display every registered sex offender; only some registrants may be posted online under Penal Code section 290.46.
Prosecutors’ account of the case
According to prosecutors, the case involved Velasco entering a Salinas home during the April 2024 party and approaching the child while she was on a couch. The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said he exposed himself, asked her to perform sexual acts and grabbed her wrist after she refused. The child got away and told her mother, according to the county release.
Prosecutors also said surveillance video showed Velasco entering and leaving the home, and that he threatened a Salinas police officer when law enforcement apprehended him. KSBW reported that the incident occurred in April 2024; the outlet’s report is available here.
