Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra’s personal issues have spilled over into city council business, as Kelli Siefke — the mother of Stephen Siefke, who accused Dutra of sexual abuse — continues to speak at council meetings. Dutra has filed a temporary restraining order against Kelli Siefke, which has now been extended for another six months.
Jimmy Dutra civil suit
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Jimmy Dutra: I battled political adversaries and the media for my life and reputation — thank you Watsonville for reelecting me
Recently reelected Watsonville City Council member Jimmy Dutra says local media, including Lookout, sensationalized his civil trial in September that coincided with his reelection bid. He says some articles about him were misleading and inaccurate. In the trial, a civil jury found Dutra liable for $1.1 million in damages stemming from the sexual assault of a minor. Dutra has always insisted he is innocent. The trial, he writes, was a money grab and an attempt to destroy him politically. Here, he offers his version of events and defends himself against what he sees as misleading media coverage.
Posted inLatest News
Jimmy Dutra to appeal civil sex-abuse verdict after judge denies accuser’s request for additional legal fees
A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge tossed a motion requesting $300,000 in legal fees from Jimmy Dutra following a September trial in which a jury ruled against him in a civil sex-abuse case. The newly reelected Watsonville city councilmember is still on the hook for $1,133,000 determined at trial, a judgment Dutra said Friday he plans to appeal.
Posted inLatest News
Jury rules against Jimmy Dutra in civil sex-abuse lawsuit
A jury ruled against Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra in a civil sex-abuse lawsuit on Tuesday that alleged he molested now-31-year-old Stephen Siefke during the summer of 2005 when he was 12 and Dutra was 30. He is ordered to pay $1,133,000 to Siefke to cover economic and non-economic costs associated with the incident.
Posted inLatest News
Jimmy Dutra trial deliberations head to a third day as jury fails to reach verdict
A Santa Cruz Superior Court jury failed to reach a verdict in Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra’s civil sex-abuse case on Monday, its second day of deliberation. The jury deliberated for about three hours on Friday and about another seven on Monday.
Posted inLatest News
No verdict in Jimmy Dutra civil sex abuse trial; jurors return Monday
No verdict was reached on Friday, the first day of a Santa Cruz County jury’s deliberations in a civil sex abuse lawsuit trial in which Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra is accused of molesting a 12-year-old in 2005. Jurors will resume deliberations on Monday.
Posted inLatest News
Dutra trial: Fellow councilmember describes troubled romantic relationship; ex-partner defends Dutra
In testimony in the civil lawsuit in which Jimmy Dutra is accused of molesting a 12-year-old boy in 2005, fellow Watsonville City Councilmember Casey Clark spoke Thursday about a past romantic relationship with Dutra. Clark accused Dutra of “mental and psychological abuse” while they were together and talked about helping the son of Watsonville’s former city manager after he said he was groped by Dutra at a city event in 2018. Dutra’s sister and his partner at the time of the alleged molestation contradicted some of the claims in previous testimony. Closing arguments are set for Friday at 9 a.m.
Posted inLatest News
Son of former Watsonville city manager alleges Dutra groped him in testimony on third day of sex-abuse trial
The son of former Watsonville City Manager Charles Montoya testified that he, too, was allegedly groped by Jimmy Dutra, at an event in Watsonville in 2018. The civil sex-abuse trial of Dutra, a city councilmember running for reelection, will continue Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
Posted inLatest News
In Jimmy Dutra sex-abuse trial, family and longtime friends back accuser’s story
Stephen Siefke’s mother, partner and friends took the stand on Tuesday to confirm details laid out in his civil lawsuit alleging that Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra molested him decades ago when he was 12 years old and to testify about how they believe it has affected his life. The trial resumes Wednesday morning, and the plaintiff’s case is expected to wrap up by the end of the day.
Posted inLatest News
Jimmy Dutra takes stand to deny sex-abuse allegations in first day of trial
Monday saw opening statements and the first witnesses in the civil sex-abuse court case against Watsonville City Councilmember Jimmy Dutra. Dutra and Kelli Siefke, mother of plaintiff Stephen Siefke, were the first two witnesses called to the stand. The trial is expected to take a week, with full days of hearings throughout.