Former California Democratic mayor guilty of lewd conduct with child sentenced to 7 years in prison
Robert Jacob served as mayor of Sebastopol in Sonoma County for four years beginning in 2013
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former Democratic mayor of a Northern California city has been sentenced to seven years in prison for sexual conduct with a 14-year-old child, officials said Thursday.
Robert Jacob, the 45-year-old former mayor of Sebastopol in Sonoma County, had pleaded no contest to six felony offenses involving sexual misconduct with a minor in January and was found guilty, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said.
"The victim should be commended for coming forward to report what Mr. Jacob did," District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said in a news release. "His bravery in reporting Mr. Jacob’s crimes has made the community a safer place."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jacob met the victim online in early 2020 when the victim was 14 years old, prosecutors said. Jacob talked with the victim over the next year and the conversations eventually turned sexual.
Former Sebastopol Mayor Robert Jacob was sentenced to seven years in prison on Thursday for sexual conduct with a 14-year-old boy. (Facebook)
Jacob would send the victim lewd videos and invite the victim over to his house in Sebastopol to engage in sex acts under the guise of performing chores. Jacob also invited another unknown man to his home to have sex with the child, according to prosecutors.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The victim, who had turned 16 at the time he testified in court last year, said he met Jacob on the Grindr dating app and that Jacob knew he was underage, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat previously reported.
In January, Jacob pleaded no contest to six felony charges involving sexual misconduct with a minor and was found guilty. (iStock)
TWO TEACHERS IN VIRGINIA COUNTY ARRESTED FOR INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL CONTACT WITH STUDENTS
Jacob pleaded no contest to procuring a child to engage in a lewd act with another adult, sexual penetration of a minor, engaging in a lewd act with a minor, sending lewd material to a minor, and communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a sex crime.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jacob began serving his prison sentence last week. (iStock)
Jacob was sentenced Thursday and began serving the seven-year sentence. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Jacob was a cannabis businessman and served on the Sebastopol City Council beginning in 2012. He was elected mayor the following year, serving a single four-year term, and did not seek re-election.