Monterey County man convicted of lewd acts on a child; faces 30 years in prison
A Monterey County resident was convicted of forcible lewd acts on a child under 14, prosecutors said Thursday.
Michael Paulsen, 62, pleaded guilty in December to three counts of forcible lewd acts upon a child who he was related to, according to prosecutors.
Paulsen began sexually assaulting a child under the age of 14 in 1995 and did so "for years," according to prosecutors. He would commit the crimes when no one else was present and often in a vehicle where he could ensure that the girl could not escape.
The victim came forward as an adult with their accusations and Paulsen admitted to them with detectives from the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested in December 2022.
The three criminal counts against Paulsen all count as "strikes" under the state's Three Strikes Law, which can increase mandatory prison sentences for people convicted of violent or serious felonies.
On Feb. 13, a judge will give Paulsen a stipulated sentence of 30 years in state prison, according to the District Attorney's Office.