A jury deliberated three days before convicting a Redwood City volunteer of molesting a dozen boys he met either through his son’s school or volunteering.
Gerardo Gontiz, 49, faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison and a maximum of 162 to life when sentenced Jan. 23, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. After the verdict’s return Wednesday afternoon, Gontiz’s $375,000 bail was changed to no bail status.
The jury found Gontiz guilty on 18 counts of child molestation and eight counts of molestation carrying a life sentence.
Prosecutors contend between August 2009 and May 2011, Gontiz abused boys between the ages of 13 and 17 that he met while volunteering at Everest Public High School, church and volunteering as a supervising parent on boys trips to a Modesto ranch.
His crimes reportedly included fondling, oral copulation, masturbation and grabbing of the boys’ genitals.
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