(Woodland, CA) – October 15, 2020 – On October 15, 2020, a Yolo County Jury convicted 29-year-old Sacramento man Taylor Lewis Gholar of luring a 12-year-old to have sex with him after an 8-day 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 the she was 12 years old and in 7th grade.
Witnesses testified that on January 19, 2020, Gholar began communicating with the victim 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 the victim, 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.
“Mr. Gholar used his position of trust as a teacher to convince a 12-year-old to have sex with him,” stated District Attorney Jeff Reisig. “We are pleased that with the diligent efforts of law enforcement and the jury’s decision, Mr. Gholar will never be a teacher again.”
The Honorable Paul Richardson presided over the trial and is scheduled to sentence Gholar on November 23, 2020 at 9 am. Gholar faces four years in State Prison.
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