Pedophile sitter sentenced

An Oroville man convicted of molesting two young children he babysat was sentenced last week to close to 70 years in state prison.

According to a press release from District Attorney Mike Ramsey, during a trial in October, 33-year-old Jefferson William Thames was convicted of molesting a 6-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. He reportedly was friends with one of his victim’s parents and routinely watched the child while they were working. In the case of the other victim, Thames had exchanged babysitting for room and board.

Both children reported being sodomized by the Oroville man, and DNA evidence in one of the cases confirmed the accusation.

Butte County Superior Court Judge Steven Benson presided over the court trial and discovered that Thames had a prior adult sexual conviction back in 1996. Receiving a maximum term of 67 years, Thames will be 100 years old before he is eligible for parole.