SNOHOMISH — A jury found Snohomish brewer Frank Sandoval not guilty on two charges of second-degree child molestation and found him guilty of one charge of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
Sandoval's sentencing hearing was Dec. 13 after press time (story update here). The jury reached its verdicts Dec. 6 after a seven-and-a-half day trial.
Communicating with a minor for immoral purposes is a sex crime that carries the penalty of a gross misdemeanor for first-time offenders. Sandoval, 49, has no prior criminal record.
All of the charges prosecutors filed were connected to the initial underage girl who alleged Sandoval touched her inappropriately in 2021 while she was 12 years old.
Prosecutors added an additional molestation charge and the communication charge in October. Communicating with a minor for immoral purposes can be shown either by words or conduct of a sexual nature, the instructions to jurors read. The second molestation charge alleged there was inappropriate touching on a different occasion.
The case began in 2022 after Snohomish Police investigated the girl's claims.
Two additional women come forward in late 2022 with their own allegations against Sandoval when they were underage teens in the 2010s.
One of the women told police Sandoval kissed her multiple times when she was 15, and had pressed her body against his as well as had pulled her onto his lap. Prosecutors wrote that he also pulled her pants to look at her underwear, and asked her to wear specific colors of underwear. Prosecutors wrote he also sent her electronic messages, including one "telling her that she was the most beautiful girl in the world."
Prosecutors sought to use the two women's allegations toward its case of the initial underage girl the case was about.
Jurors were allowed to consider parts of the witness testimonies of the two women.
Jurors were instructed on the child molestation counts to decide whether Sandoval had sexual contact with the initial girl under the definition that it is "for the purpose of gratifying sexual desires of either party." If there was any reasonable doubt on its merits, jurors were instructed to return a verdict of not guilty.
CORRECTION
In articles during October and November, the Tribune inaccurately reported that additional charges filed in October were tied to the two women who were revealed through supplemental court filings by the prosecution.
Every charge filed into the case, including additional ones in October, was about the initial underage girl. Prosecutors never filed charges on behalf of the other two accusers.
The paper also inaccurately reported Sandoval’s charges. The charges were entered, however Sandoval was not arraigned on all of them and some were withdrawn.
The Tribune regrets the errors.
