Boys Sentenced in Schoolyard Assault on Girls

Three boys involved in the March sexual assault of three girls at an Encinitas junior high school were given punishment Wednesday ranging from eight days in juvenile hall to performing community service.

The boys were among seven males between the ages of 13 and 17 who were accused of encircling the girls at Oak Crest Junior High School, taunting them and grabbing at them. The March 28 incident took place at the locker compound as the girls were leaving an after-school audition for a school play.

Six of the seven boys pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony and misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

Two of the boys sentenced Wednesday had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery and were ordered to complete 60 hours of community service, receive counseling and pay $100 in restitution to the victims.

The third boy, who was considered the ringleader in the incident and had pleaded guilty to felony sexual battery, was ordered to spend the next four weekends confined in juvenile hall, complete 60 hours of community service, receive counseling and pay $100 in restitution to the victims.

“You were the leader and the leader pays a higher price than followers,” said Superior Court Judge Runston Maino. “You were the leader in this, you encouraged the others to follow you . . . and you did more of the touching.”

Both Deputy Dist. Atty. Leo Valentine and two of the mothers of the victims asked Maino to consider harsher punishment for the boys.

“I don’t think these young boys are necessarily a risk to the public . . . but I don’t think that this disposition holds them accountable for their behavior. You cannot violate somebody’s person and simply walk away from it,” Valentine said.

One of the mothers told Maino that she felt the sentences were inadequate.

“I don’t think that being released to your parents and doing some community time is enough,” said the parent. “I think there are consequences to your actions and if he has not learned that yet, I think it is up to us as a society to show him that you have to pay for what you do.”

The three boys, two of whom were students at Oak Crest, were expelled from the school, although Maino said he was unsure that he had the authority to make such an order.

After the proceedings, the mothers said they were outraged that the school seemed to treat the incident as an isolated case, and that the district had not taken steps to address what they perceived as a gang problem in the area.

“I think the school district thinks that it’s a joke and that’s what bothers me,” said one of the mothers.