On March 7, a 62-year-old Scotts Valley man pleaded not guilty to 12 felony aggravated sex assault of a minor charges, and denied additional special allegations, in Santa Cruz County Superior Court.
Anthony Pujals is accused of committing the offenses in 1998. According to a minute order, he was arraigned in front of Judge Stephen Siegel, who issued a criminal protective order. Jay Rorty made a special appearance as defense counsel.
Assistant District Attorney Jason Jasveer Gil objected to the motion to release the defendant on his own recognizance. However, the motion was granted, and a Conditions of Release form was issued.
During the hearing, the defendant and his lawyer were handed a copy of the amended complaint document. In addition to the 12 charges, it includes just a single enhancement: that one of the victims was “particularly vulnerable” at the time.
Scotts Valley Police Department announced March 6 it had arrested Pujals as part of an investigation into historical child sexual assault allegations. Pujals was taken into custody on March 5, near his Mountain View home, and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail, the Department stated on its Facebook page.
In December 1997, an 11-year-old girl and her two sisters were placed in the care of their aunt and uncle in Scotts Valley, a spokesperson wrote, adding over the following year, the 11-year-old victim was sexually assaulted on a weekly basis by her uncle, Anthony Pujals.
SVPD officials say the assaults ended in late 1998 when Pujals was arrested for domestic violence, and the children were returned to their mother.
According to court papers, Pujals, a self-described devoted Catholic who attended mass on Sundays and prayed at meals, was granted guardianship of one of the victims on Feb. 26, 1998. They lived together in a five-bedroom home in Scotts Valley.
The now-adult victim, concerned that additional individuals could be at risk, recently reported the abuse, police said.
During the months-long investigation, a second victim was identified, SVPD officials stated, adding this individual was 11 years old in 1988 when she was sent to live with her half-sister and her sister’s husband—Anthony Pujals (in Huntington Beach).
Police said she lived with the Pujals for about a year and reported experiencing repeated sexual assaults during that time.
“After a thorough investigation, the case was presented to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, resulting in an arrest warrant for Pujals on multiple felony counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child,” a SVPD spokesperson said in a release. “These charges stem from the crimes committed against the first survivor, as statute of limitations laws prevented prosecution for offenses against the second survivor.
“The Scotts Valley Police Department commends the bravery of these individuals for coming forward in pursuit of justice. Their courage not only seeks accountability for past crimes but also helps protect others from potential harm.”
Pujals was ordered to be personally present for his next hearing, which was scheduled for March 21 in Dept. 7 of the Santa Cruz Courthouse at 8:15am.
Anyone with additional information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Scotts Valley Police Department at 831-440-5670 or the tipline at 831-212-5139.
