In a civil trial Tuesday, a jury found Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra liable in a sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy in 2005. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo — Santa Cruz Local file)

SANTA CRUZ >> Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra was found liable for $1.1 million in damages on Tuesday, stemming from the sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy in 2005.

A civil jury found that Dutra committed sexual battery, annoying or molesting a child, and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14. Because the trial was in civil court and not prosecuted as a criminal case, Dutra will not face jail time.

Dutra, a District 6 Watsonville City Council member since 2020, is running for re-election against Trina Coffman-Gomez in the Nov. 5 election.

Stephen Siefke, now 31, accused Dutra of molesting him during a trip with family friends to tourist attractions and Dutra’s home in Los Angeles in 2005. Siefke was 12, and Dutra was 30. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 and went to trial in Santa Cruz County Superior Court this month. 

“I have received validation for my story — a story that has been cloaked in fear, shame, and secrecy for far too long,” Siefke wrote in a statement Tuesday.

“The person who caused me so much pain was not just a perpetrator but someone who was allowed to work within our schools, putting countless other children at risk. Knowing that my story has played a role in protecting future generations from such harm brings me a profound sense of relief and justice,” Siefke wrote.

Urgency to act

Siefke did not pursue a criminal case with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office at the time because he wasn’t ready, Siefke’s attorney has said. When Siefke moved back to Watsonville around 2022, he saw Dutra’s face on campaign posters around the county during a bid for county supervisor. Dutra was working with children at Pajaro Valley Unified School District and Siefke felt a sense of urgency to act.

Dutra’s employment with the school district ended after the lawsuit was filed.

“My hope is that this case serves as a beacon of hope for other victims of abuse,” Siefke wrote Tuesday. To those who are still suffering in silence, know that it is okay to stand up for what is right. There are people out there who will listen, believe, and support you through the darkest of times. You are not alone, and your voice deserves to be heard,” Siefke wrote.

Following the verdict, Siefke’s family and friends circled around Siefke and his partner, Blaze Rexroat. They embraced Siefke’s attorney, Dana Scruggs.

“For Stephen, it’s been a tough two years,” Scruggs said outside the courtroom Tuesday. 

“He’s not somebody who’s seeking this kind of attention, so it was a really hard struggle, aggravated by the fact that Jimmy Dutra hasn’t taken any responsibility,” Scruggs said. “I’m really relieved for Stephen Siefke that the jury believed his story.”

Possible appeal

Dutra testified during the trial but did not attend the verdict Tuesday. 

Christopher Panetta, Dutra’s lawyer, maintained his client’s innocence. “We’re disappointed with the verdict,” Panetta said. “Jimmy Dutra didn’t do this, and we’re looking at options with respect to appeal.”

The lawsuit states that Siefke was sleeping in Dutra’s living room when Dutra and another man returned home. Late that night, Dutra got in bed with Siefke and touched him inappropriately, according to the civil complaint.

Dutra, now 49, has repeatedly denied the allegations. “I did not molest him,” Dutra said in an interview with Santa Cruz Local before the trial began. “I think that this was a political attack at the beginning.”

Siefke was awarded $1,133,000 for past and future therapy and other costs, and for emotional suffering. The jury did not find that Dutra had acted with “malice or oppression,” and he will not face additional punitive damages. The burden of proof for punitive damages is higher than for the rest of the jury’s findings.

Clarification: A previous version of this story contained an incorrect headline and photo caption. This story also includes added comments from Stephen Siefke.

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