A California state senator is calling for legislative changes after a judge in El Dorado County released a convicted child predator who later disappeared before his sentencing. Carl Cacconie, convicted in July of six felony sex crimes against an 11-year-old girl, vanished in August and failed to appear for his sentencing hearing. Judge Michael McLaughlin had allowed Cacconie to leave the South Lake Tahoe courthouse on the same day he was convicted, releasing him on the same $1 million bond he had posted during the trial. State Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, expressed outrage over the judge’s decision. “I was extraordinarily angry that no one stood up for that little girl that came to tell her story,” Grove said. “Jurors said this guy is guilty of six counts of sexually assaulting this beautiful little 11-year-old girl, and the judge just lets him out. What explanation does the judge have for this?” she added. El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson thinks the judge made a critical error in not taking Cacconie into custody immediately after the conviction. “Who screwed up?” KCRA 3 asked. “Well, in this instance, that part was the judge,” Pierson said. Pierson criticized California’s approach to criminal defendants, saying it prioritizes releasing individuals from custody over public safety. “In other words, we don’t want to hold people in custody. You know, we need to look at every and give them every chance to be released from custody. And I think this is probably a byproduct of that type of mentality,” Pierson said. The victim, now 23 years old, said the judicial process failed her after she worked hard to prepare for the trial. “Everything that I did just to get ready and mentally, it just kind of went right out the window,” she said. She added that she now lives in constant fear. “I just have to live in fear every day because this guy is out there,” she said. Grove said crimes against children are too serious to leave to judicial discretion. “That judge did not have the safety of Californians, the safety of the victim, or just releasing this individual into the community. No one knows where they are. He could be right outside the studio. We don’t know where this person is,” Grove said. When asked if California truly needs a law requiring judges to incarcerate individuals convicted of child sex crimes, Grove responded, “It absolutely does.” Judge McLaughlin declined to comment on the case, citing judicial code restrictions. Pierson believes someone is helping Cacconie evade authorities and said those individuals will face charges once Cacconie is arrested. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Cacconie’s whereabouts to call 1-800-AA-CRIME. Tips can remain anonymous, and a reward of up to $1,000 is being offered.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
A California state senator is calling for legislative changes after a judge in El Dorado County released a convicted child predator who later disappeared before his sentencing.
Carl Cacconie, convicted in July of six felony sex crimes against an 11-year-old girl, vanished in August and failed to appear for his sentencing hearing. Judge Michael McLaughlin had allowed Cacconie to leave the South Lake Tahoe courthouse on the same day he was convicted, releasing him on the same $1 million bond he had posted during the trial.
State Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, expressed outrage over the judge’s decision.
“I was extraordinarily angry that no one stood up for that little girl that came to tell her story,” Grove said.
“Jurors said this guy is guilty of six counts of sexually assaulting this beautiful little 11-year-old girl, and the judge just lets him out. What explanation does the judge have for this?” she added.
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson thinks the judge made a critical error in not taking Cacconie into custody immediately after the conviction.
“Who screwed up?” KCRA 3 asked.
“Well, in this instance, that part was the judge,” Pierson said.
Pierson criticized California’s approach to criminal defendants, saying it prioritizes releasing individuals from custody over public safety.
“In other words, we don’t want to hold people in custody. You know, we need to look at every [case] and give them every chance to be released from custody. And I think this is probably a byproduct of that type of mentality,” Pierson said.
The victim, now 23 years old, said the judicial process failed her after she worked hard to prepare for the trial.
“Everything that I did just to get ready and mentally, it just kind of went right out the window,” she said.
She added that she now lives in constant fear.
“I just have to live in fear every day because this guy is out there,” she said.
Grove said crimes against children are too serious to leave to judicial discretion.
“That judge did not have the safety of Californians, the safety of the victim, or just releasing this individual into the community. No one knows where they are. He could be right outside the studio. We don’t know where this person is,” Grove said.
When asked if California truly needs a law requiring judges to incarcerate individuals convicted of child sex crimes, Grove responded, “It absolutely does.”
Judge McLaughlin declined to comment on the case, citing judicial code restrictions.
Pierson believes someone is helping Cacconie evade authorities and said those individuals will face charges once Cacconie is arrested.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about Cacconie’s whereabouts to call 1-800-AA-CRIME.
Tips can remain anonymous, and a reward of up to $1,000 is being offered.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google