El Cajon
A 34-year-old man who pleaded guilty to molesting three girls was sentenced Friday to one year in County Jail, evoking angry reactions from the girls’ mothers.
Matthew Smeltzer of El Cajon also received 10 years’ probation, was ordered to pay restitution for the girls’ medical exams and was fined $900.
Smeltzer pleaded guilty to fondling the girls, aged 4 to 7, in his apartment while they watched movies. Deputy Dist. Atty. Cathy Stephenson said Smeltzer printed up flyers about a “video night” at his apartment, and invited youngsters to watch Walt Disney-type movies there.
After the sentencing, one of the mothers remarked out loud, “He’s dead when he gets on the street,” as she exited the courtroom. That statement caused San Diego Municipal Court Judge Charles Rogers to call the woman back into court and hold a brief hearing in which two people told Rogers that the woman had made a death threat to the defendant.
“Do you understand you can’t make those threats?” the judge asked.
“Yes, I know,” the woman answered tearfully.
Rogers ordered Smeltzer to register as a sex offender once he completes his jail term.
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