San Mateo man convicted of child molestations faces life sentence

(KRON) — A 59-year-old San Mateo man faces life in prison after being found guilty Tuesday of over a dozen charges spanning two decades of child molestation and lewd acts on a child, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Jose Antonio Villalobos was convicted of 10 counts of child molestation, two counts of lewd acts on a child by force or fear, and three counts of lewd acts on a child under 10 years old.

Prosecutors said the crimes began in 1999, when Villalobos repeatedly molested a child in his neighborhood. In 2005, he began to molest a family member. The molestations continued for two years until it was reported to other family members, “and they confronted him,” the DA’s office wrote.

From 2017 to 2021, Villalobos repeatedly molested two other young family members before one of the victims reported him to the San Mateo Police Department, prosecutors said.

Sentencing was set for Dec. 18. Villalobos faces up to 212 years to life in prison, according to the DA’s office.