Man gets nine months for sex acts with minor

BARSTOW • A former school employee convicted of committing sex acts with a minor was sentenced to 270 days in jail, though he could be out in half that time with good behavior.

Danny Weeks, 34, will begin serving his days behind bars next week for oral copulation with a minor after being sentenced Monday at Barstow Superior Court. At his sentencing, Judge Miriam Morton also ruled he would not have to register as a sex offender.

Weeks was a mechanic with the Silver Valley Unified School District when he committed sexual acts with a 17-year-old Silver Valley High School student in January 2009.

The victim reported the crime to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department six months later.

Weeks was originally charged with two sex charges and two counts of preventing or dissuading a victim from reporting. The court granted defense’s motion to dismiss the prevention charges for lack of proof. The second sex charge was dismissed in a plea deal with prosecutors in August.

The victim or her family did not give an impact statement at the sentencing hearing. However, in a May 2011 probation officer’s report, the victim’s mother said the victim felt Weeks was “getting off Scott-free.”

“It lowered her self-esteem and turned her whole world upside down,” the mother told investigators. “...even if Weeks got sixteen months in state prison, it would not be enough for what he has done to her and the family. He should have at least gotten five years for each count.”

At one point Weeks pleaded guilty to all charges and faced 16 months in prison. During a sentencing hearing in May 2011, the court allowed Weeks to withdraw his plea.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or klucia@desertdispatch.com