"Jane Doe" ACOSTA? - 12 yo (2008) - Santa Barbara CA

A Santa Barbara jury found German Acosta, 34, guilty on September 23
of aggravated sexual assault, along with other lewd acts, convictions
which could land him behind bars for life.

Relying almost solely on testimony from the victim, Acosta’s
12-year-old niece, the jury deliberated for about three-and-a-half
hours before finding him guilty for his actions one night in 2008.

Acosta is the younger brother of the victim’s father, and would
sleep on the family’s couch occasionally. This particular night,
according to the victim, Acosta came into her bedroom and asked her if
she had a boyfriend. Later that night, as the victim was sleeping,
Acosta came into her room, woke her up by touching her thigh, and had
her stand up. He took off his clothes and attempted to sodomize her by
rubbing his penis on her buttocks. He left and came back and inserted
his penis into the girl’s vagina, but then left again. He returned for
a third time, this time masturbating into her hand. He came back to her
room after using the bathroom, and gave her $20.

Acosta admitted on the stand that he woke up his niece by touching
her thigh, but it was merely to say goodbye to her, he said. As she was
getting up, he said, he may have accidentally touched her breast, but
that was it.

The victim told no one but a friend of hers, who told a counselor at
Girls Inc. They reported the crime. Testing was done, but no physical
evidence was found—not on the victim, nor on Acosta, nor or in the
girl’s bedroom. The jury relied solely on the child’s recitation of the
events, which was stacked up against that of Acosta, who also
testified, according to prosecutor Joyce Dudley.

Aggravated sexual assault carries a penalty of 15 years to life in
prison. He was also found guilty of one count of a forcible lewd act on
a child, and one count of a lewd and lascivious act not by force.

Acosta will be back in court for sentencing October 22.