Ex-SF Church Volunteer Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Sleeping Teens: DA

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A former volunteer at a San Francisco church has been convicted for sexually assaulting two teenage boys nearly 10 years ago as they slept in his home, prosecutors said.

Jurors found Marvin Sotoriz, 45, guilty of two counts of oral copulation on an unconscious person stemming from assaults in 2017, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office said.

"Mr. Sotorizo preyed upon the victims’ vulnerabilities as teenagers," Assistant District Attorney Rick Hullinger said Wednesday. "However, the victims showed remarkable fortitude by carrying the burden of what happened to them for nearly a decade before facing their abuser to obtain justice."

Sotoriz was a church volunteer at Potrero Hill church’s youth congregation who used his position of trust and authority to groom two teenage boys, prosecutors said.

The boys regularly attended youth congregation services and other activities outside of church with Sotorizo, prosecutors said.

Sotorizo would buy the boys food and clothes and play video games with them in his room, prosecutors said.

On occasion, the boys would also stay at Sotorizo's home, prosecutors said. During one of these occasions, Sotorizo insisted one of the boys slept on his bed, prosecutors said.

The boys were staying with Sotorizo on June 22, 2017, when one of them awoke to the 45-year-old orally copulating him, prosecutors said.

The boy told Sotorizo to stop, and reported the incident to the police days later, prosecutors said. The other teen soon after also came forward and told police Sotorizo also assaulted him, prosecutors said.

Sotorizo was taken into custody days later in connection with the assaults, the San Francisco Police Department said.

"The jury’s verdict delivers justice to the victims who have been waiting for nearly 10 years," District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Wednesday. " This case serves as one example of how long the fight for justice can take in some cases, and my office’s commitment to staying the course and standing with victims for as long as it takes."