Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - The jury trial against a Glendora man accused of inappropriately touching a then 17-year-old girl began Wednesday. Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, is accused of one misdemeanor count each of child molestation and sexual battery, both allegedly occurring July 8, 2018. Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson attempted to paint the picture that Nelson groomed the girl for years. The girl’s father took the stand Wednesday. The alleged molestation and battery took place in the girl’s home while her parents were away on vacation. Nelson visited the girl, which her father said was unusual when the father was not home. The girl was sick after allegedly drinking. Nelson offered the girl a back rub and during the back rub grabbed her butt and cupped her breast, the girl’s father said. Nelson and the girl’s family have known each other for 11 years. The father and Nelson met 11 years ago when the girl was 7 or 8 years old. Nelson had virtually become family and was referred to as “Uncle Pat.” The girl and her family also became acquainted with Nelson’s parents Byron and Judy Nelson: the latter is mayor of Glendora. The jury was shown a series of photos of the girl, her family and Nelson taken during those 11 years at get-togethers, day trips and holidays: each photo showed Nelson at varying degrees of physical closeness to the girl. The girl’s father claimed that the alleged acts were not the first by Nelson. When the girl was 15, Nelson allegedly placed his hand on her thigh. Nelson also allegedly slapped the girl’s butt playfully during her freshman year: both actions illicited enough concern from the father to warn Nelson, who pledged he would never hurt the victim.
A week after the alleged July 2018 incidents took place, Nelson asked the girl’s father over to his home where Nelson apparently confessed. Nelson also apparently admitted to what he did in front of his parents Byron and Judy during a subsequent meeting between the two families. The jury listened to 58 minutes of a recording made by the girl’s father who was given a recorder by Glendora Police Detective Mike Howell to capture a confession on tape. In the recording, Nelson repeatedly said what happened was a “horrible lapse in judgement” and that he had no bad intentions as both the girl and her father worked to get Nelson to state why he allegedly did what he did, sometimes going so far as to ask if he was aroused by touching her. In the recording, the girl claimed that friends would notice Nelson always looked at her differently and would always give her gifts. The trial resumes Thursday. |
Archives
January 2024
Categories
All
|