Former social worker gets nine years for sexual relations with minors

The two victims, who were 16 at the time of the abuse, attended the sentencing, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

“Truly one of the most offensive crimes,” Wagstaffe said. “This guy, who was specifically assigned to deal with basically troubled young women, made a phenomenal violation of trust. What he did, he fully deserved the nine years.”

Sedillo-Messer worked as a Child Protective Services social worker who was assigned to East Palo Alto families from 2006 until he resigned Oct. 24, 2014, while being investigated for the abuse. He was arrested shortly after resigning.

The investigation began when a 16-year-old client, whose family he had been working with since 2011, told her mother Sedillo-Messer had a sexual relationship with her. The abuse continued between June and July 2014 and occurred at motels in Bakersfield and Redwood City, at a San Mateo County beach and even in the CPS office, according to prosecutors.

Investigators then found a second 16-year-old girl who said he had taken her to a San Jose hotel and had sex with her, according to prosecutors.

He pleaded no contest to five counts of felony oral copulation with a minor and five counts of unlawful intercourse with a minor.

He had been free on $400,000 bail, but violated a no-contact order by reaching out to the first victim. He was then held on $2 million bail, according to prosecutors.

Sedillo-Messer must serve at least 85 percent of his term and received 156 days credit, Wagstaffe said.