Olivehurst man convicted of molestation

A Yuba County jury convicted an Olivehurst man on Thursday of repeatedly molesting a 12-year-old family member.

Anthony Todd Paine, 47, was found guilty in Yuba County Superior Court of a single felony count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.

"We're very pleased that the jury did what they're supposed to do and followed the law," said Teresa Sydow, deputy Yuba County district attorney. "These are tough cases."

The jury of seven women and five men handed down its verdict early Thursday after deliberating less than two hours.

Judge Julia L. Scrogin ordered Paine to return to court March 11 for sentencing. Paine faces at least six years in state prison and a maximum of 16 years.

Jurors also said a special allegation that Paine committed "substantial sexual misconduct" was true, making Paine ineligible for probation. He will be required to register as sex offender.

Both Paine and the victim, who is now 14, testified during the nearly two-week trial.

"The jury had to look at the victim's word versus the defendant's and they determined he (Paine) was not believable," Sydow said.

Yuba County sheriff's investigators said Paine groped the girl frequently between September 2010 and April 2011, while she was 11 and 12 years old. The abuse occurred while the girl slept on Paine's couch during her regular weekend visits to a family home on Derek Drive in Olivehurst.

From the beginning, Paine denied the allegations and said the girl fabricated the charges because she was upset with Paine for marrying one of the girl's relatives.

Paine was arrested in May 2011, but released from jail because of a medical condition, authorities said.

Following Thursday's verdict, Paine was booked into the Yuba County Jail without bail pending sentencing.

It is not clear if Paine plans to appeal. A phone call to defense attorney David Vasquez's Marysville office was not returned Thursday.