(Woodland, CA) – December 11, 2020 – On December 10, 2020, the Honorable Judge Paul Richardson sentenced 29-year-old Taylor Lewis Gholar to three years in State Prison after a jury convicted him of “Going to a Meeting with a Minor for the Purpose of Lewd or Lascivious Conduct” and “Communicating with a Minor for the Purpose of Lewd or Lascivious Conduct.” Gholar, a Sacramento resident, will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
At trial, the jury heard evidence that Gholar met the victim when she was in 2nd grade. He was employed as her after-school teacher. Gholar was the victim’s teacher for the next three years. After the victim completed 5th grade, they had no contact until she was 12 years old and in 7th grade.
Witnesses testified that on January 19, 2020, Gholar began communicating with the victim, who lived in West Sacramento, through Instagram direct message. The victim immediately informed Gholar that she was 12 years old. Over the course of 12 hours, Gholar asked the victim if she wanted to have sex, requested provocative photos of her, and sent her a pornographic photo of himself. The victim informed her parents when Gholar became concerned that her mother was aware of the conversation. Once the victim’s parents were aware, her parents and police pretended they were the child and continued communicating through social media with Gholar.
In the early morning hours of January 20, 2020, West Sacramento police officers, posing as the child, arranged to meet Gholar in West Sacramento. The purpose of the meeting was for Gholar to have sexual intercourse with the 12-year-old victim. Gholar arrived at the location and West Sacramento officers placed him under arrest and located condoms.
“The Court’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the trust the community places in its teachers. This sentence not only provides justice for the victim but should serve as a deterrent to others in the community from engaging in similar conduct,” stated District Attorney Jeff Reisig.
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