Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Sexual Assault of 12-Year-Old Child

Published on June 10, 2026

Today, June 10, 2026, James Ellis (54), an Oregon resident who maintained a residence in Fresno, was sentenced to eight years in state prison for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old child. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Stephanie Negin of the Fresno County Superior Court after Ellis pleaded guilty to oral copulation of a child under 14 and sexual penetration of a child under 14.

As part of his plea, Ellis admitted two aggravating factors: that the victim was particularly vulnerable and that his conduct involved great violence, great bodily harm, or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness. Ellis faced a maximum sentence of 10 years and 7 months in state prison.

At sentencing, Ellis requested that the Court stay the prison sentence and grant probation. The Fresno County District Attorney's Office opposed that request. Senior Deputy District Attorney David Devencenzi argued that the defendant knowingly targeted a vulnerable child and emphasized that a 12-year-old cannot legally consent to sexual activity. He further argued that the nature of the offenses, the lasting trauma inflicted upon the victim, and the interests of public safety, punishment, and deterrence warranted a state prison sentence. The Court denied the request for probation and imposed an eight-year state prison sentence.

The investigation established that Ellis met the 12-year-old victim through the dating application Grindr and later continued communicating with her through Snapchat. Ellis engaged the child in sexually explicit conversations and exchanged sexually explicit images with her before arranging to meet her. Despite knowing the victim's age, Ellis picked her up on December 30, 2023, and drove her to an empty church parking lot within the City of Fresno, where he committed multiple sexual acts against her.

Concerned for her safety, the victim's grandfather tracked her cellphone location and located the pair in Ellis' truck. Ellis fled with the victim while being pursued by her grandfather before eventually directing the victim to get out of the vehicle, where she was safely recovered by her grandfather, bringing the incident to an end.

Although they were not present in court, the victim and her grandparents submitted written victim impact statements that were read into the record. Their statements described the devastating and lasting impact the defendant's actions have had on the victim and her family. They recounted the fear and helplessness experienced while searching for the child and the emotional challenges that have continued in the months and years since the assault. The victim shared that she continues to work through the trauma in therapy and simply wants "to be a happy girl again." Her grandparents wrote of the strength and resilience she has shown throughout her recovery and their hope that the conclusion of these criminal proceedings will allow their family to continue healing.

June is National Internet Safety Month, and this case serves as a reminder that online applications and social media platforms can be exploited by offenders to target and groom children. The Fresno County District Attorney's Office encourages parents and guardians to remain actively involved in their children's online activity, know what applications their children are using, discuss the dangers of communicating with strangers online, and maintain open and ongoing conversations about internet safety. Parents are also encouraged to regularly review privacy settings, monitor online communications, and remind children never to meet in person with individuals they have met online without the knowledge and involvement of a trusted adult.

The Fresno County District Attorney's Office would like to thank the Fresno Police Department for its thorough investigation and commitment to seeking justice for the victim.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney David Devencenzi of our Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit, with assistance from Senior District Attorney Investigator Crystal Gonzales of the District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations.

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