SANTA PAULA : Woman Gets Prison for Molestations

A wheelchair-bound Santa Paula woman was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for sexually molesting five children and her pet dog.

Kristine Ann Christiansen, 39, pleaded guilty Oct. 11 to seven molestation counts and one count of sexually assaulting an animal. According to records in Ventura County Superior Court, Christiansen pressured children who ranged in age from 13 to 17 to engage in sexual activity.

Deputy Public Defender Richard Holly asked Judge Steven Z. Perren to order Christiansen to serve a year in County Jail, to be followed by probation. He noted that the defendant had no prior criminal record, and said that the prison system would not provide the psychological treatment that he said Christiansen needs.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark R. Pachowicz argued that Christiansen had not shown the remorse needed for any rehabilitation program to be successful. He said she should go to prison for 10 years and 8 months.

Pointing to the testimony of a court psychologist, who said Christiansen had been molested as a child, Pachowicz said: “Now we have five children that she has victimized. We don’t know what will happen with them.”

The mother of one of the victims also asked for a long prison term, saying Christiansen had turned her son against her. She said Christiansen, who has multiple sclerosis, had used her disease to evoke sympathy from her victims.

In explaining his six-year sentence, Perren said his dilemma was how to deal with a defendant who had committed “hideous crimes” but was nonetheless a “sad, pathetic figure.” Perren said he decided on a six-year prison term because “the behaviors are so extreme, so protracted and so unrepentantly committed.”

Christiansen, who had been released on bail, appeared to cry briefly when the sentence was pronounced. As she was wheeled into a holding cell for transfer to the state prison system, she called to her father, who was among the spectators.

Later Friday, Holly said he will ask Perren to reconsider the sentence on the basis of new medical evidence. He said a physician will testify that Christiansen suffers from nerve damage, which Holly said could explain her conduct.