Child Molester Ordered to Post Sign Stating Same

A 71-year-old man has been ordered to display a “Convicted Child Molester” sign in front of his El Cajon home whenever he sits in his front yard or garage.

The judge, who imposed the sentence Thursday, noted that Anthony Constanza had a habit of inviting children into his garage by offering gifts, water for their pets or repairs to their toys.

Constanza pleaded guilty to molesting three young neighborhood girls and received five years of probation, on the condition that he post the sign.

“It is unusual, but it just seemed to me to be the appropriate way to deal with his habit of sitting there in his garage and front yard and meeting children,” Municipal Judge William Woodward said after imposing the sentence.

“I just looked at alternatives that were the least intrusive and the most effective in dealing with his habit,” Woodward said. “It will remove the temptation, and other parents and children will know what happened.”

He ordered Constanza to construct the 4-by-4-foot warning sign that must be in public view whenever the garage door is open and must be displayed next to Constanza when he sits in his front yard. The sign was among the conditions Constanza accepted to avoid a prison term.

The judge described Constanza as a noted structural engineer from Chicago who moved to East San Diego County with his wife after he retired several years ago.

Constanza welcomed children into his garage and eventually molested some of them, according to the charges. Two of the victims were 11 and the other was 7 when they were molested last November and December.

The deal, which was part of a plea bargain, surprised lawyers on both sides of the case.

Defense attorney Kerry Steigerwalt agreed to the deal because it kept Constanza out of prison, and Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Madruga was satisfied because the victims didn’t have to testify about the incidents.

Constanza also was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $10,000 restitution for the girls’ counseling and therapy expenses.