$75,000 bail set for accused Colombian priest in Sutter County ( Yuba City, CA )

Appeal-Democrat ^ | March 15, 2013 | By Rob Parsons/A-D Reporter

[moonshinner_09]

The attorney for a Catholic priest accused of kissing a 16-year-old Yuba City girl called the incident a "witch hunt" on Friday, while prosecutors said the clergyman knows he violated the law.

The Rev. Julio Cesar Guarin-Sosa, 43, of Colombia is charged with a felony count of false imprisonment and misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a minor and sexual battery in connection with a March 8 incident in Yuba City.

Sutter County Judge Susan E. Green entered not-guilty pleas on Guarin-Sosa's behalf on Friday.

"This case is a witch hunt, your honor," defense attorney Markus Dombois said. "The conduct may be inappropriate in this country, but it may be an everyday occurrence in his country."

Jacquelyn Stenson, deputy Sutter County district attorney, countered, saying Guarin-Sosa apologized to the girl during a subsequent telephone conversation and asked her not to say anything because "it would ruin his life."

[moonshinner_09]

Guarin-Sosa was held at the Sutter County Jail without bail on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold for illegal entry, a charge his attorney said was baseless. He surrendered his passport and travel visa, which showed he entered the United States as a legal visitor on Dec. 27. The visa expires June 26, Dombois said.Further Into story As part of his bail-reduction argument, Dombois submitted nearly 200 letters of support he said spoke to the priest's character. Stenson noted most of the letters were written by people who had known Guarin-Sosa less than a month.

....Guarin-Sosa's only prior contact with California law enforcement came March 12, 2005, when he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, but the case was dismissed for insufficient evidence, the report says.

What is wrong with some of the Catholic priests ? Surely they must know at some point and time the wrong they do will catch up with them.What do you all make of the visa,passport.. I am not sure what to make of it ?

[GeronL]

lock’em up for a good long time

then shun him from polite society

[vette6387]

“What do you all make of the visa,passport.. I am not sure what to make of it ? “

My take on it is that he is coming into the US repeatedly on a visitor’s visa which looks as though it’s good for six months. Then he goes “home” for whatever period of time the law requires and then returns to the US on yet another visa.
This is how most of the illegals come here. Only the idiots with no money scurry across the border in AZ. Just get a six month visitor visa and don’t leave when it expires. If you don’t commit any crimes, you can probably stay forever.

[txrefugee]

Well, at least this priest was molesting a girl.....

[edcoil]

It is far past the time for the ACLU to step in and sue the girl scouts and have the government force men to be girl scout leaders.

[rrrod]

Most Colombians I know that have visas just come and go to the US. Most of my wife’s family that aren’t US citizens travel as they please with no concern for staying illegally in the US.

Visas are difficult to get and are basically processed by Colombians working as contractor for the US.

Lately Ive met several Americans working here in Colombia..ILLEGALLY..mostly in construction. The economy here is booming.

[moonshinner_09]

Thank you for your input .I see where they are coming from now.Thank you again.