<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1PBQ0V_0wBod9dF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1PBQ0V_0wBod9dF00" width="480" height="600" ><figcaption>Kevin Dikes, 2021 booking photo.</figcaption></figure>Kevin Dikes, a local restaurateur, pleaded guilty this week to multiple counts of sexual assault involving minors, following a lengthy legal process. Dikes, who was initially arrested in 2021, will be formally sentenced in November after accepting a plea deal that includes a 21-year prison sentence, lifelong sex offender registration, and waiving his right to appeal.Dikes pleaded guilty to multiple counts related to sexual assault of minors after several court continuances and delays in the trial process. Dikes is found guilty of Kidnapping (John Doe 1), Forcible Lewd Act with Child Under 14 (John Doe 1), and another count of the same, Lewd Act with Child Under 14 (John Doe 2). This comes after more than three years of investigative work by local prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim witness advocates to bring the case to a resolution, following hisarrest in Arcata three years ago. The convicted pedophile will now also be registered as such, and will be subject to “Sexually Violent Predator” screening per California state law, which will put him on the Megan’s Law website.According to court minutes from earlier this week, modifications were made to the charges against Dikes, which will influence the sentencing decision by Judge Steward. As part of the plea deal with the District Attorney’s office, one charge was reduced from PC209(b) (1) – which involves kidnapping with intent to commit serious crimes such as robbery or sexual assault and carries a potential life sentence – to the lesser charge of PC207, which applies to general kidnapping offenses without the intent to commit additional crimes.Beyond that, one count appears to have been dropped in order to reach the deal. According to the court minutes of the last day of the Trial hearing of Wednesday, October 16, two charges against Dikes were modified pending sentencing. Felony count PC288(a), noted as count 4 in the case against Dikes, is expected to be “dropped at sentencing,” according to a notation in the records, after reaching the plea agreement. Additionally, the Special Allegation count PC667.61(j)(2) is noted in the minutes “to be addressed at sentencing,” which could require the defendant to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison, for the crime of “Lewd or lascivious act”. However, as to the sentencing of Dikes, prosecution for the District Attorney’s Office, DA Whitney Timm told us, “He will receive a prison sentence of 21 years, will be required to register as a sex offender for life, be on parole for 20 years after his release from custody, and agreed to waive his appellate rights.” Having waived the right to appeal the decision, Dikes is expected to comply with stated terms of the plea agreement. With formal sentencing pending, and the plea agreement reflecting a term of 21 years behind bars, the official sentence to be served and terms of his incarceration and eventual release are expected to be delivered on November 13th by Judge Steward. A statement received from the mother of John Doe 1 reflects the trauma and impact of the crimes against her son, and underscores the importance of victim advocacy within the court system, and beyond, in dealing with predatory acts against children. Her statement is provided here in full:“First I want to thank the DA’s office for providing support to my son and our family throughout this process. For the last three years our family has been on an emotional roller coaster preparing our child to testify against the man who sexually abused him. He has had to meet weekly with a therapist to help him forget the horrible things that Mr. Dikes did to him, and then he had to prepare to remember every detail so that he could testify in a jury trial. With request after request from Mr. Dikes to delay the case, we have had to rearrange our life plans on numerous occasions, which has been a huge burden on our child and our extended family. I am glad that Mr. Dikes has taken this deal, sparing my son from having to ever see him again. And I am appalled that the defense team tried to isolate my son from his family and force him into the same room to testify in front of Mr. Dikes without either parent by his side. I hope Mr. Dikes has learned his lesson, and I wish he would never be allowed around children again. He had multiple victims and has been doing this over a long period of time, and I don’t think he would hesitate to do it again if he remained free. I am appreciative that he took this deal, but the time he serves will not undo the harm he has done to children, which will affect them, their families, and future relationships for the rest of their lives. My son is strong and brave and I have told him over and over again that he is a hero for coming forward and spearheading the effort to get this child predator off of the streets and into prison where he belongs, preventing him from having access to other children for the duration of his incarceration.To other parents, I would like to say it is important to have age appropriate conversations with your children early and often about right and wrong using correct terminology, especially when these topics naturally come up in your everyday life. Let them know that they can always feel safe coming to you and sharing their experience and or feelings about others, regardless of age, gender, social or familial status. Predators often know the family, which allows them to gain trust and access to children. Talk about red flag people, following your instincts, and reward your children for being honest, even in uncomfortable situations. Make sure they know that they should not keep secrets from you unless it is like a surprise party that has an expiration date. Reinforcing the message that they are not to blame for any inappropriate behavior can empower them and help keep them safe.Statistics about child sexual predators can vary by source, but some key points include:<ol><li>Prevalence: According to the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children (NCMEC), one in five girls and one in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse before the age of 18.</li><li>Perpetrators: Most child sexual abuse is committed by someone the child knows—approximately 90% of victims know their abuser, which can include family members, family friends, or acquaintances.</li><li>Reporting: The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that around 60% of child sexual abuse cases go unreported. This means that actual numbers may be significantly higher than reported statistics.</li><li>Online Risks: With the rise of the internet, online predators have become a significant concern. A 2018 report by NCMEC indicated that more than 45 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation were made to the organization.</li><li>Age: Children aged 12 to 17 are at the highest risk of being victims of sexual assault.</li></ol>These statistics highlight the importance of education, prevention, and open communication about the dangers of abuse, as well as the need for community awareness and protective measures.”For resources that can help survivors of child sexual abuse, John’s Hopkins has a good list of “colleague’s resources” for families and friends, and survivors. Dikes’ sentencing is scheduled on November 13, “at which point the terms of Dikes’ commitment will be formally entered into the court system,” according to Timm. Humboldt County District Attorney Stacey Eads informs us that a formal statement on the case from the DA’s office will be issued following the sentencing hearing next month.UPDATE: The 13-year-old John Doe 1 with parental permission wanted to say this: “If something happens to you or someone else, stand up for them, stand up for yourself, hold the person who did you wrong accountable for their actions. Don’t let them slime their way through it. I never thought twice about listening to him, because I knew what right and wrong was.”In the interest of transparency, this reporter also works locally as a Legal Assistant in Humboldt County, primarily in family law. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

[UPDATE: Victim Speaks Out] Local Restaurateur Pleads Guilty to Child Molestation Charges, Faces 21-Year Prison Term

Kevin Dikes, a local restaurateur, pleaded guilty this week to multiple counts of sexual assault involving minors, following a lengthy legal process. Dikes, who was initially arrested in 2021, will be formally sentenced in November after accepting a plea deal that includes a 21-year prison sentence, lifelong sex offender registration, and waiving his right to appeal.