Thomas Francis DeMayo of Ben Lomond has pleaded guilty to molesting the young daughter of a longtime friend and faces at least 24 years in prison, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office.
DeMayo accepted a plea agreement Nov. 9.
Prosecutor Andrew Isaac said DeMayo admitted to molesting a child younger than 14 and committing three separate lewd acts with a child. DeMayo had no prior criminal history and was a close friend of the girl’s father.
The plea agreement will save the 8-year-old from testifying at a trial, Isaac said.
Isaac said DeMayo vaginally penetrated the victim with his finger, which alone is enough to put him behind bars for 15 years to life.
“The four crimes he pled guilty to add up to at least 24 years in prison,” Isaac said.
The former New York state resident confessed to sheriff’s detectives when he was arrested in June. The abuse allegedly began in January 2008 and continued into May 2009, when the crimes were brought to the parent’s attention.
Isaac said that DeMayo lived alone in Ben Lomond and most of his family is on the East Coast. During his confession, he admitted to victimizing two other girls in the past.
“He also admitted to having a long-term interest in children,” Isaac said.
Isaac said the victim, who was molested by DeMayo when she was 6 and 7 years old, told her parents what was going on after they bought her a book about going through puberty.
“She’s an extremely bright and precocious little girl,” Isaac said. “She asked her mother about things like where do babies come from and then basically said, ‘Tom does this stuff to me.’”
Her parents went straight to Child Protective Services to report the abuse, who then contacted the sheriff’s office.
DeMayo was arrested at his home on Alba Road on June 3 and is set for sentencing on Dec. 28. He could face 24 years to life in prison.
DeMayo’s court-appointed attorney, Michelle Lipperd, declined to comment for this report.
Once DeMayo goes to prison, he is not required to undergo any type of counseling. If released, he will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, Isaac explained.
