A man who was convicted of child sex crimes decades ago will remain in custody after a local judge granted the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office petition to commit him as a Sexually Violent Predator.
Alfredo Arcilio Mendez, 62, was previously convicted of multiple counts of forcible lewd acts on a child. His crimes occurred in San Luis Obispo County, San Diego County, and Long Beach in the 1980s and 1990s.
According to the DA's Office, California's Sexually Violent Predator Law allows a district attorney to petition for the continued detention of someone who was sentenced to prison for a sexually violent crime, has been diagnosed with a mental disorder, and would be a danger to others if released.
During a four-day court trial this week, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Timothy Covello heard testimony from two of the sexual assault survivors as well as four psychologists who evaluated Mendez and diagnosed him with a mental disorder of pedophilia. According to the DA's Office, two of those psychologists also testified that he is likely to re-offend if released back into the community.
Mendez will reportedly remain in the custody of Coalinga State Hospital and will be reviewed bi-annually by the California Department of State Hospitals.
