By Tammy Murga
tmurga@record-bee.com tammyxmurga on Twitter
LAKEPORT >> A Kelseyville man faces two decades in prison for sexually abusing a girl under the age of 14, according to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
The man, identified as 52-year-old Kevin Bruce Anderson, was sentenced on Monday for committing lewd and lascivious acts on the child by use of force, fear and duress.
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff, both offenses qualify as “violent strikes.”
The investigation revealed that Anderson had established a trusted relationship with the young girl’s mother as a tactic to spend time alone with the minor, who at the time was six years old. Authorities say he threatened the girl to keep her from reporting the crimes after sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Lankford said the abuse lasted for about eight months.
“The victim finally worked up the courage to tell her mother, who immediately contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Department,” Hinchcliff said.
Anderson was initially arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail on Sept. 21 of last year.
During a further investigation into the case, Sheriff Deputy Shamus Stafford managed to obtain a recorded confession from Anderson.
Hinchcliff added that Anderson was represented by defense attorney John Hinely, prosecuted by Lankford and sentenced by Judge Andrew Blum.
Anderson will serve his sentence in state prison because of its “violent strike” qualification, Lankford said.
