Convicted Child Molester Is Charged in 2nd Case

An Antelope Valley man convicted of molesting his 12-year-old goddaughter and now being sued by her also has been charged with molesting a 10-year-old female relative during a several-year period, court records showed Wednesday.

The case of Richard N. Streate, 29, of Palmdale (not Lancaster, as reported in The Times on Wednesday) gained notoriety Tuesday when his goddaughter, Desiray Bartak of Newbury Park, sued him for damages. Attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Desiray, cited Streate’s guilty plea Oct. 26 to a criminal charge of molesting the girl.

But court records show prosecutors also had charged Streate on June 1 with molesting a 10-year-old female relative between January, 1989, and April, 1992. Charges related to Streate’s alleged molestation of the second girl, who told investigators he had molested her 11 times, are due to be dismissed in a plea bargain.

Deputy Dist. Atty. John Portillo said the allegations against Streate involving his relative were actually “more extreme and more serious” than those involving Desiray. Although Desiray had complained earlier, charges in her case were filed only after the other girl stepped forward.

Streate is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in Lancaster Superior Court for his guilty plea to a felony charge of committing a lewd act upon a child, a charge stemming from Desiray’s allegations. The judge may sentence him to three years in state prison or a year in County Jail, Portillo said.

Prosecutors had originally filed four felony counts against Streate, two involving Desiray and two involving Streate’s relative. Portillo said it “was just arbitrary” that Streate pleaded to a count involving Desiray instead the other girl. The three remaining counts will be dismissed at sentencing.

Sheriff’s deputies, in a report filed as part of the case, said Streate admitted molesting Desiray one time after taking a polygraph exam that indicated he earlier had been lying. According to the report, Streate also told deputies that he had been molested as a child.

The alleged molestation by Streate of his relative occurred when the girl was between 6 and 10, according to court records. Streate has remained free on $20,000 bail during the course of the case. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.