Social Worker Sex with Teen Wards

March 27, 2015 permalink

In foster care the foster parents have custody while the social worker has the power. California social worker Manuel Sedillo took advantage of his power to have sexual relations with three teenaged girls under his control.

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Social worker pleads not guilty to sexual assaults

March 21, 2015, 05:00 AM By Samantha Weigel Daily

Manuel Sedillo

A former San Mateo County social worker pleaded not guilty Friday to 30 counts of having sexual relations with three underage girls who were under his supervision.

Manuel Sedillo, a 38-year-old Santa Clara man with a wife and child, was arraigned in San Mateo County Superior Court and scheduled to face a jury July 20, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Sedillo was working for the county’s Human Services Agency when he allegedly assaulted three 16-year-old East Palo Alto girls who were on his caseload, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges against him include unlawful sexual intercourse, oral copulation and sexual penetration with a minor.

Sedillo was assigned to the family of the first reported victim in 2011 and became very friendly with her before beginning a sexual relationship between June 21, 2014, and July 31, 2014. Sedillo reportedly had sexual relations with her at several motels, a San Mateo County beach and the Child Protective Services office in East Palo Alto, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The second victim reported Sedillo, who was like a father to her, took her to an upscale San Jose hotel where they had sexual encounters, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Since Sedillo’s arrest last October, a third victim came forward alleging he sexually assaulted her in his personal and county-provided cars, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The third victim, now 21, was 16 and 17 years old at the time she was assaulted by Sedillo, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti.

“Anybody that preys on young girls or young people are committing despicable acts and to have a person who is in a position of authority who is supposedly there to help these girls, and yet betrays them like this, it’s really unthinkable. It’s hard to imagine the kind of damage that is done to these young women when they can’t trust a person who’s supposed to be helping them,” Guidotti said.

Sedillo began working for the county’s Human Services Agency in 2006, and was placed on administrative leave in July after the first girl came forward. He ultimately resigned from the Children and Family Services Department just before he was arrested in October.

A pretrial conference has been scheduled for June 15 and Sedillo is currently out on $600,000 bail. A call to his attorney was not returned.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com (650) 344-5200 ext. 106

Source: San Mateo Daily Journal