Crime & Safety
Penngrove Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting 2 Young Girls
The 57-year-old had recurring access to the victims, both of whom were 10 years old or younger, according to the DA's Office.
SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Penngrove man was sentenced Thursday to nine years plus 15-years-to-life in prison for sexually assaulting two girls 10 years old or younger, according to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.
Randall Lewis Cover, 57, pleaded no contest in September to committing lewd or lascivious acts against each girl, assault with intent to commit a lewd or lascivious act, and engaging in oral copulation.
The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety investigated the allegations in 2013 and in 2017. There was not sufficient evidence to prosecute Cover in 2013, and the investigation reopened after the second girl came forward in 2017, Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell said.
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The defendant was familiar with both victims and had recurring access to each of them, according to the DA's Office.
One of the victims and her mother wrote letters, both of which were read aloud at the sentencing hearing. The victim said she has "never been more happy since [Cover] has been in prison" and that he "ruined a huge part of [her] childhood and [her] life."
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Her mother noted that her daughter's physical and mental health has greatly improved since Cover has been in custody. She explained that for her daughter "to know that she is safe and there is no way he can get to her, and hurt her, has allowed her the freedom to be human again."
The other child’s mother indicated in her written letter read in court that her daughter "was just a wholesome little girl that Randall took advantage of. What he did is unforgiveable, incomprehensible, and quite frankly, sickening. Randal took from my daughter what was not his, and she will never get that back."
The DA's Office said if, at some future date, the California Board of Parole Hearings finds Cover suitable for release, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
The case was investigated by Rohnert Park DPS Detective Jon Kempf and was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Andrew Lukas.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
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