A former Los Alamitos School Bus driver faces more than 200 years in prison after he was convicted Tuesday of more than a dozen felony counts for molesting three girls, two of whom were sisters he babysat.
Terry Lee Shields, who drove for the Los Alamitos School District, was convicted on a total of 15 criminal counts for molesting the children, aged 4, 7 and 11, and for possessing child pornography.
As the jury filed out of the Santa Ana courtroom Shields shouted, "You're wrong."
The 54-year-old showed no emotion, however, while the verdicts were read.
The jury forewoman credited Prosecutor Heather Brown with presenting a
"very meticulous" case.
The forewoman noted one victim denied in testimony that Shields molested her after he kidnapped her while she was walking to school back in 2004. The forewoman said the jury understood the girl was traumatized by the attack and the child had told the truth to investigators when she offered extensive detail of the molestation -- which was corroborated by pornographic pictures Shields took of the girl.
In her closing argument Monday, Brown showed the jury pornographic photos Shields
took of the girls he molested.
Shields was convicted of three counts of forcible lewd acts upon a child; one count
of kidnapping to commit rape, oral copulation or sodomy; three counts of using an
underage person for obscene matter; seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a
minor; and possession of child pornography. Brown dropped seven counts of child
molestation in the original case because the statute of limitations had run out, she
said.
Defense attorney Gassia Apkarian contended the case against her client was largely
circumstantial, although she conceded he possessed child pornography. The more than
2,000 photos made her defense difficult, she said.
Shields babysat two of the girls, who are sisters. He molested
the 4-year-old from April 18 to 21, 2002, and her 11-year-old sister on Feb. 18,
2002, in Los Alamitos, Brown said.
Shields lured the 7-year-old girl, who he had never met before, to his car with a
promise of a trip to Disneyland. He put her in the trunk of the car,
drove back to his Buena Park home and molested her, the DA said.
She said the girl told investigators Shields tried to get her to drink
beer and Nyquil before putting her in suggestive poses for photographs. After he
molested her he dropped her off at a McDonald's, Brown said.
Brown pointed out how wallpaper from Shields' home matched wallpaper seen in the
photos. The same goes for the sex toys depicted in the photographs that police later
found in his backpack, Brown said.
Brown also said one of the photos shows Shields' hand with the watch he was wearing
on the day of his arrest.
Shields was arrested Oct. 4, 2006, after viewing child pornography on a computer at a
cyber cafe in Bellflower, authorities said. When investigators arrested
the 6-foot-tall, 350-pound Shields, they also found cameras, binoculars, girls
underwear, "a Costco-sized box of lollipops," notes on the movements of
another child and her parent he allegedly was stalking and a pacifier, Brown said.
He faces 207 years and eight months to life in prison when he returns for sentencing on Dec. 24.
Terry Lee Shields, who drove for the Los Alamitos School District, was convicted on a total of 15 criminal counts for molesting the children, aged 4, 7 and 11, and for possessing child pornography.
As the jury filed out of the Santa Ana courtroom Shields shouted, "You're wrong."
The 54-year-old showed no emotion, however, while the verdicts were read.
The jury forewoman credited Prosecutor Heather Brown with presenting a
"very meticulous" case.
The forewoman noted one victim denied in testimony that Shields molested her after he kidnapped her while she was walking to school back in 2004. The forewoman said the jury understood the girl was traumatized by the attack and the child had told the truth to investigators when she offered extensive detail of the molestation -- which was corroborated by pornographic pictures Shields took of the girl.
In her closing argument Monday, Brown showed the jury pornographic photos Shields
took of the girls he molested.
Shields was convicted of three counts of forcible lewd acts upon a child; one count
of kidnapping to commit rape, oral copulation or sodomy; three counts of using an
underage person for obscene matter; seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a
minor; and possession of child pornography. Brown dropped seven counts of child
molestation in the original case because the statute of limitations had run out, she
said.
Defense attorney Gassia Apkarian contended the case against her client was largely
circumstantial, although she conceded he possessed child pornography. The more than
2,000 photos made her defense difficult, she said.
Shields babysat two of the girls, who are sisters. He molested
the 4-year-old from April 18 to 21, 2002, and her 11-year-old sister on Feb. 18,
2002, in Los Alamitos, Brown said.
Shields lured the 7-year-old girl, who he had never met before, to his car with a
promise of a trip to Disneyland. He put her in the trunk of the car,
drove back to his Buena Park home and molested her, the DA said.
She said the girl told investigators Shields tried to get her to drink
beer and Nyquil before putting her in suggestive poses for photographs. After he
molested her he dropped her off at a McDonald's, Brown said.
Brown pointed out how wallpaper from Shields' home matched wallpaper seen in the
photos. The same goes for the sex toys depicted in the photographs that police later
found in his backpack, Brown said.
Brown also said one of the photos shows Shields' hand with the watch he was wearing
on the day of his arrest.
Shields was arrested Oct. 4, 2006, after viewing child pornography on a computer at a
cyber cafe in Bellflower, authorities said. When investigators arrested
the 6-foot-tall, 350-pound Shields, they also found cameras, binoculars, girls
underwear, "a Costco-sized box of lollipops," notes on the movements of
another child and her parent he allegedly was stalking and a pacifier, Brown said.
He faces 207 years and eight months to life in prison when he returns for sentencing on Dec. 24.
I used to ride this jerk offs bus in middle school. I always knew he was a creep!!!
Good post, thanks