Windsor Man Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Family Members

Defendant Matthew Moffat, 53 years old of Windsor, was sentenced today by the Honorable Karlene Navarro to serve 24 years plus 750 years to life in prison following his December 2022 conviction by a Sonoma County jury of multiple counts of sexual assault against minors.

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated, “This defendant groomed and preyed upon these young children for years. They showed incredible bravery for not only disclosing the abuse, but also for having the strength to testify against him during the trial.”

The charges resulted from a 2020 investigation by the Santa Rosa Police Department which uncovered multiple incidents of sexual assault committed by the defendant against three young female family members. The evidence at trial showed that the defendant used his position of authority and trust within the family to perpetuate years of abuse against the three young children. 

In December 2022, following an approximately 2-month long trial, a Sonoma County jury returned guilty verdicts against the defendant to 71 separate felony offenses involving sexual assault and child molestation. The defendant faced a total maximum term of 82 years, plus 900 years to life in prison. Over the objection of the District Attorney’s Office, the court noted that she was “using her discretion” to impose a lesser sentence of 24 years plus 750 years to life in prison.

During the sentencing hearing one victim told the court that, “Those hideous memories will haunt me forever.” Another victim stated, “I will continue to stand tall, refusing to be defined by the darkness that once enveloped me.”

Despite the lengthy sentence, recent changes to California law allow prison inmates, including Moffat, to be considered for parole after serving only 20 years of their sentence. In 2018 the California legislature altered the law to allow inmates who reached 60 years of age and had served 25 years of their sentence to be considered for release back into the community on parole. This “elderly parole” provision was amended in 2020 to now allow inmates who have reached the age of 50 and served only 20 years of their sentence to be considered for parole.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Leslie D Butori, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dave Linscomb. Sergeant Richard Boehm of the Santa Rosa Police Department  headed the investigation.

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