By Redaccion
[email protected]
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Steven Wayne Bower (DOB 03/22/70), of Ojai, was sentenced to 55 years to life for child molestation.
He was previously convicted by a jury on September 25, 2024, of three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. The jury also found true several special allegations, including Bower engaged in substantial sexual conduct and there being multiple victims.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Suttner, supervisor of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office S Assault Unit, prosecuted the case.
«Today’s sentencing reflects the severity of the defendant’s actions and the impact they had on the lives of these young victims,» said Ms. Suttner. «We are committed to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our community and to holding accountable those who harm them.”
Between 2003 and 2011, Bower molested the two young girls. One incident happened while on a camping trip when the first victim was around nine years old. She fell asleep in a camping trailer and woke up to Bower touching her inappropriately.
The second victim recalled two incidents where Bower molested her. First, when Bower was babysitting her in her home when she was around five or six years old. The second incident happened a few months later during a camping trip. Bower was close family friends with both girls’ families.
