SPECIAL VICTIM’S UNIT

THE SPECIAL VICTIM’S UNIT

is primarily responsible for investigating crimes involving all forms of sexual assault against juveniles and adults within the unincorporated parts of San Luis Obispo County. The SVU also investigates child abuse, child pornography, and child exploitation. Additionally, SVU detectives assist with extreme cases of domestic violence and some non-fiduciary related cases of elder abuse. SVU detectives assist with other overarching investigations within the County as needed.

SVU detectives coordinate with other agencies, including Child Welfare Services, Adult Protective Services, Probation and Parole, all law enforcement agencies within the County, some out of county or even out of state agencies, and any other necessary organization to facilitate these investigations. Other groups important to successful case resolution include the Suspected Abuse Response Team (SART) and the Child Abuse Interview Team (CAIT). Numerous advocacy The Special Victims Unit handles an average of over 200 cases per year. Individual cases can take several months to fully investigate and can last significantly longer in the court process, especially due to the ongoing public health concerns and restrictions.

groups are also involved in helping abused people receive support and care during the entire process of the case.

The SVU assists other agencies in their own investigations because cases of physical and sexual abuse are highly specialized and require expert training as mandated by the California Penal Code. SVU Investigators provide community training and educational outreach to mandated reporters of child abuse and advocacy groups so they know how to interact with law enforcement and so they can better aid abused persons during the investigative process.

While 2020 was a difficult year for many reasons, 2021 brought its own host of challenges. Children are back in school. Parents are back at work. Some abuses that went undiscovered or were otherwise unsuspected are now being reported in addition to any recent crimes. Changes to the law and social movements have also helped abused persons find the courage to report older crimes they have sometimes carried with them for decades.

Recent publicized SVU cases include:

• In Dec 2020, James Thomas was arrested for sexual battery.

• In May 2021, James Storton was arrested for sexually molesting multiple children.

• In June 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for David Paul

Wilson’s for sex acts with children.

• In July 2021, Jesus Valdovinos was arrested for raping a woman in Cambria near a hiking trail.

• In Sep 2021, Craig Grunow was arrested for illegal sex acts with multiple children.

• In Oct 2021, Michael Brians was convicted of multiple counts of sexual child abuse.