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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
This story contains descriptions of sexual assaults.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — A Lakeport man has been sentenced to 45 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting two women in early 2022.
On Tuesday, Judge J. David Markham handed down the sentence to Sean Randall Daugherty, 42.
In June, a jury convicted Daugherty of three counts of sexual assault — two counts of oral copulation by force and one count of sexual penetration by force — on the two female victims.
That trial, which began at the end of May, was his second. The first had resulted in a hung jury last year.
“Sean Daugherty prayed on people that were vulnerable and had nowhere to go,” said Deputy District Attorney Richard Watson, who prosecuted the case. “Three of the four victims that testified against Daugherty were determined to have disabilities. This conviction brings closure and a sense of security to victims that still fear Daugherty.”
On Jan. 20, 2022, Lakeport Police Department Sgt. Ryan Cooley was dispatched to Elijah House, the name for the homeless shelter then operating at the former juvenile hall, to speak with a victim of sexual assault.
The victim told Cooley that she had been homeless and staying at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the weekend of Jan. 1 to 3.
On Friday Jan. 1, she was attacked by a man she knew by the name D.K. during the middle of the night. D.K. was later identified as Sean Daugherty, the District Attorney’s Office reported.
Daugherty struck the victim in the face and head with his hand and forced her to orally copulate him. Daugherty also pulled the victim's pants part down and digitally penetrated her with force.
The following day Daugherty attempted to again assault the victim, so she called 911 and fled the area.
On Feb. 6, 2022, Sgt. Cooley was dispatched to Library Park in Lakeport for a welfare check of a female at the Third Street boat ramp. The second victim said that she had nowhere to stay and had been sexually assaulted earlier that day at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
The second victim said she was assaulted by a man she had met that day named D.K. During her testimony at trial, she identified Sean Daugherty as D.K.
Daugherty struck her on the lower back and buttocks and forced her to perform oral sex on him. Daugherty also called her cruel and demeaning names as he assaulted her.
After the assault she left the church and remained in Lakeport at the park until contacted by law enforcement.
Daugherty was arrested in June 2022 and has remained in custody since then.
At trial both of his victims took the stand. Two additional victims also testified against Daugherty about prior sexual misconduct he had committed.
The third victim testified that Daugherty had assaulted him in 2015. He said he knew the person who had assaulted him as D.K. and identified his attacker as Sean Daugherty during testimony.
The fourth victim said that in 2017 she was 16 years old and had run away from home. She was staying at a church in Lakeport with a man named D.K. who she identified as Sean Daugherty during testimony.
Daugherty, who was 36 at the time, engaged in unlawful sex with the minor. The young woman testified that at no time did Daugherty take her home to her parents or call for help for her. He provided her alcohol and had sex with her.
Watson said the testimony of the third and fourth victims was admissible at the recent trial under California Rules of Evidence which allows evidence of prior sex offenses in a current sex assault case.
The four victims who testified did not know each other and had never met nor discussed the case with each other. But their stories and accounts of assault were very similar.
On June 2, after an hour of deliberations, the jury returned guilty verdicts against Daugherty on the three counts alleged in the information.
Defense attorney Angelina Potter represented Sean Daugherty and Watson prosecuted the case.
At an Aug. 1 sentencing hearing, Potter asked the judge to sentence the defendant to 30 years to life, citing other court cases.
Judge Markham held the sentencing over to this week in order to consider the matter.
On Tuesday, Daugherty took the stand to speak to the court before sentencing. His comments included accusations against the judge, his attorney and the prosecution about collusion and allegations that one of the victims who testified against him at trial had perjured herself. He also kept naming the victim even when the judge admonished him not to do so.
“You’re either going to do what I tell you to do or step down. You have a choice,” Markham told Daugherty.
When Daugherty continued to argue about how the trial was handled, the judge told him, “This isn’t an appeal. You’ll be able to file an appeal in this case.”
Markham then asked Daugherty if he had anything else to say. Daugherty paused and then continued to discuss the merits of the case.
When the judge told Daugherty to step out of the witness stand, he refused. Three bailiffs then came and removed him from the witness stand and sent him back to the defense table.
Watson argued that the court should impose the maximum sentence of 45 years due to the egregiousness of Daugherty’s conduct.
In sentencing Daugherty, Markham agreed with Watson and sentenced Daugherty to the higher term, citing a high degree of cruelty and callousness and victims who were particularly vulnerable.
Markham also noted that Daugherty has a criminal record that includes five felony convictions involving unlawful sexual behavior with force and violence against four victims since 2015. Daugherty committed the most recent offenses while on probation and while under the influence of alcohol, which the judge said he has a history of abusing.
“The defendant has failed to take responsibility for his conduct,” said Markham, adding that it’s clear Daugherty will continue his conduct unless he is kept in custody.
“The people in our society deserve to be protected from Mr. Daugherty for as long as possible,” Markham said.
In imposing the tougher sentence, Markham said, “Frankly this wasn't even a close call for the court.”
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen reported the sentencing outcome to the Lakeport City Council at the end of its Tuesday night meeting.
Note: Editor/Publisher Elizabeth Larson was on the jury that convicted Daugherty in June and was present for the Aug. 1 and 15 sentencing hearings. This story is based on a news release issued by the District Attorney’s Office, with additional information reported from the sentencing hearings and the Lakeport City Council meeting.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
On Wednesday, the patron hit the largest jackpot in the casino and resort’s history, $3,278,372.39, on the iconic Megabucks slot machine located in the High Limit room.
The lucky player, who chose to keep his identity private, was playing with just a $3 wager, the casino said.
Casino officials said that after only $168 in play, the moment turned legendary when the Megabucks machine signaled the life-changing win.
Witnesses recounted the winner's “genuine astonishment and overwhelming joy, reflecting the rarity and magnitude of such a victory,” the casino said.
"We've had our fair share of jackpot winners, but this is truly unprecedented," said Konocti Vista Casino General Manager Jorge Garcia. “It's always been our mission to provide a top-notch gaming experience for our guests, and moments like this reinforce why Konocti Vista Casino is the community's favorite entertainment destination.”
Casino officials said the “monumental win” has set a new benchmark for the casino and for Lake County.
Konocti Vista Casino is the only casino on the shores of Clear Lake, and features its own private 90-slip sheltered marina, 77 lakeside hotel rooms with full convenience store, 74 space full-service RV park and its family oriented Fun Zone Arcade open daily.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — Forest officials said firefighters are continuing their work to contain a lightning-caused fire that began earlier this week.
As of Thursday night, the Slide 1 fire in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness is 656 acres and containment is 5%.
Fire behavior was low and creeping on the ground during Thursday’s shift.
Smokejumpers and the Mendocino Hotshots (Crew 12) have been able to go direct along the trail system on the eastern edge of the fire, strengthening that line along a natural barrier.
On the southern edge, crews worked hard along the Ides Cove trail system to strengthen that line. Aircraft supported crews on the fire line with bucket drops, officials said.
Though the fire has grown in acreage, fire managers are pleased with Thursday’s success building containment lines and will continue the confine and contain strategy using the trail system and natural barriers to keep the fire in the wilderness area.
Resources committed to the incident include a type-2 helicopter, type-3 helicopter, one type-1 hand crew, three type-2 crews, two falling modules, two water tenders, a grader, excavator, helibase manager and safety officer. Additional resources are on order.
An order closure for the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness within the Grindstone Ranger District is expected on Friday.
Also on Thursday, four smokejumpers and the Elk Mountain Hotshots (Crew 4) were joined by a helitack crew on the Rock Fire in the Sanhedrin Wilderness on the Upper Lake Ranger District. Two helicopters supported the crews with successful bucket drops.
The Rock Fire is 1.5 acres. Though much progress was made, containment remains at 0%. Resources on scene will continue working on the line tomorrow.
The weather pattern is still showing active scattered showers and thunderstorms tonight and through the weekend. Fire personnel remain alert and ready to respond to new lightning starts and mutual aid calls.
Information about the Slide 1 fire and other lightning-related fires is being updated on Inciweb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/camnf-2023-slide-1.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Joined by coauthoring legislators and advocates for local governments, housing, labor, public safety, transportation, and conservation.
“As a former mayor of Winters, and board member of regional water, housing, and transportation agencies, I have seen first-hand the deterioration of our once world-class infrastructure,” said Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry. “ACA 1 is targeted to help the urgent needs of local communities to increase the supply of affordable housing and supportive housing for our working families and vulnerable populations, but you can’t build housing without roads, sewers, and fire stations. This is why we are focused on housing and the infrastructure supporting it.”
ACA 1 would reduce the local vote threshold for bond approval and special tax measures from a two-thirds vote to a 55 percent supermajority. This same vote threshold currently applies to all local school construction bond measures.
By making this change, ACA 1 puts housing and infrastructure projects on par with school proposals so that cities, counties, and special districts have a practical financing tool to address community needs.
“One of the shortcomings of current constitutional supermajority vote thresholds is they take away the ability of local officials, especially in small cities and rural areas like mine, to work with their voters to make investments in local infrastructure priorities,” said Aguiar-Curry. “What that means is Sacramento is forced to do huge statewide initiatives, and those same communities often don’t benefit from them. My constituents are paying for housing, roads, and police and fire stations in large metropolitan areas and can’t even pass their own bonds and sales taxes to fund their local priorities.”
The California Professional Firefighters and the California State Building and Construction Trades Council co-sponsor the bill.
“Ultimately, ACA 1 gives California voters greater control over how their taxes are spent and raised, and makes us better able to meet the challenges that we as firefighters face in California,” said Brian K. Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters. “ACA 1 is not a tax, and it doesn’t raise a dollar of new revenue. It is a chance for the voters to look at the 2/3 versus a 55% threshold and make a decision on that.”
“Local fire departments across California are struggling with tight budgets even as the need for emergency services is on the rise. Far too often voters up and down the state have made their voices clear as they stepped up to support local propositions that provide secure funding for public safety only to fall short despite winning the majority of the vote,” said Frank Lima, general secretary-treasurer of IAFF. “ACA 1 will create a more democratic process that allows voters the opportunity to abandon the unreasonable two-thirds vote threshold and establish a more fair 55% threshold to approve measures that help keep the public safe.”
“ACA 1 will empower Californians to take action in their communities,” said Chris Hannan, president of the State Building and Construction Trades Council. “By lowering the bond approval threshold from a supermajority requirement to 55 percent, local governments will be able to invest in vital projects that provide our members with thousands of good paying jobs and tackle the critical needs of our communities throughout the state.”
"ACA 1 will bring power back to local voters and communities by ensuring that the will of the voters is represented. It will give local governments the tools they need to address our communities’ affordable housing needs and wants,” said Amy Fishman, executive director of NPH. “This is the kind of game-changing affordable housing policy we need — to strengthen local communities, protect the will of voters, address local infrastructure challenges, and level the playing field."
“ACA 1 is carefully crafted to preserve and protect the will of an overwhelming majority of local voters,” emphasized Bruce Gibson, supervisor, county of San Luis Obispo and First Vice President of CSAC, “I urge the Legislature and the Governor to move this important issue to the ballot so that voters can be heard.”
“From Sonoma to San Diego, communities across the state have benefited from self-help measures that have funded the development of their local public transit systems. In the years ahead, these measures will take on increasing importance as we strive to build transit systems that are more sustainable, equitable, and accessible,” said Michael Pimentel, Executive Director of the California Transit Association. “We applaud Speaker pro Tem Aguiar-Curry for pursuing ACA 1 to provide more California communities with the opportunity to enact the self-help measures they need to transform their mobility options.”
The California Constitution limits the opportunity for communities to decide to tax themselves to provide funding for local projects that meet goals and laws approved by the majority. One-third of local voters have the power to overrule fiscal decisions. ACA 1 proposes an amendment to the California Constitution. If passed by the Legislature, the proposal would go to the 2024 November ballot for voter approval during the next statewide election.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Yolo, Napa, Colusa and Lake counties, and parts of Sonoma County.