LAKEPORT – A man convicted of molesting a 10-year-old boy was sentenced to state prison on Friday.

Senior Deputy District Attorney John R. DeChaine reported that Judge Richard Martin sentenced Lakeport resident James Michael Deback, 45, to the upper term of eight years in prison for child molestation.

DeChaine said the investigation began in March, when a neighbor witnessed what was believed to be inappropriate conduct between Deback and the child.

Jail records show that Deback, a painter, was arrested on March 28.

Formal charges were filed by the Lake County District Attorney’s Office on April 2, according to DeChaine, who prosecuted the case.

On Nov. 2 Deback pleaded no contest to one felony count of committing a lewd or lascivious act with a child under the age of 14 and one misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a minor, DeChaine reported.

Both crimes, said DeChaine, require Deback to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.  

When Deback entered his no contest pleas on Nov. 2, he admitted a special allegation that the felony charge involved “substantial sexual conduct,” according to DeChaine.

DeChaine noted that the admission of this special allegation served to prohibit Deback from being granted probation, thereby ensuring a prison commitment.  

DeChaine said the case was investigated by a team of officers, including Mark Hommer and Jim Bell of the Lakeport Police Department and Investigator Von Morshed of the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

Both Bell and Morshed have specialized training in conducting child forensic interviews in cases involving child sexual assault, DeChaine added.
 
Morshed and the victim’s family members were in attendance when Deback was sentenced, DeChaine said.

The family prepared a victim impact statement which was read by Denise Johnson of the Victim-Witness Division of the District Attorney’s Office prior to Judge Martin handing down the sentence, according to DeChaine.  

DeChaine said the felony county for which Deback was convicted is a violent strike in California, meaning Deback will not be eligible for parole until he serves at least 85 percent of his prison commitment.  

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