Costa Mesa Man Convicted in Sex Assaults on Boy, 8

A Costa Mesa man was found guilty Wednesday of having sexually assaulted an 8-year-oldboy on two occasions in 1984 and 1983.

Dennis J. Ward, 20, was convicted of having oral sex with the youngster three times on Aug. 2, 1984, in the locker room of a public pool in Costa Mesa. The other incident took place in a park on an unspecified date during the summer of 1983.

Ward, who had worked as a carpet layer, is being held at Orange County Jail without bail. He will be sentenced Feb. 1 and faces three to eight years on each of four counts.

Defense lawyer Roger Denney of Santa Ana argued that the boy made up the story.

Ward testified that he refused the youngster’s request in the Estancia High School pool locker room when the youth reportedly asked him to have oral sex.

A 12-year-old, who said he witnessed a youngster being sexually assaulted, originally reported the Aug. 2, 1984, incident to lifeguards at the pool. Costa Mesa detectives found the 8-year-old several days later, and he acknowledged the pool incident and also told authorities about the earlier incident.