Verdict reached in trial of Fresno man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting nanny

Joseph Ward, the man accused of sexually assaulting and kidnapping a nanny in northeast Fresno last year, was found guilty on all counts by a Fresno County Superior Court jury on Thursday.

The 35-year-old Ward, who now has three strikes, will be spending the rest of his life in prison — and won’t have a chance at parole.

“He is not getting out,” prosecutor Rick Thomas said.

That came as comforting news to the victim’s mother and father who have painfully endured listening to the sometimes lurid details of the crime.

“We are just so grateful for everyone for their support,” the victim’s mother said. “We have been through so much this past year.”

According to police, Ward on June 22, 2018, followed the victim home from the daily walk she took with the child under her care.

He caught up with her just outside the home where the child lived. Ward asked for water, money and her phone as a ruse to try and get inside. Eventually he did.

Ward overpowered the victim and forced his way into the house where he sexually assaulted her twice. The baby was not injured.

The jury’s verdict was announced around 2 p.m. Thursday after several hours of deliberation. As the courtroom clerk read the verdict, one of the district attorney’s investigators delivered the news to the victim.

“She (the victim) was crying tears of joy,” her mother said after the verdict.

Ward was convicted of 12 felonies, including sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping. He was not present during the verdict for safety reasons. Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan kicked him out of the courtroom Wednesday after he spit at his defense attorney, Amanda Moran.

Throughout the nearly two-week trial, Moran steadfastly maintained police arrested the wrong man. And she still believes it. “I am a little disappointed,” she said.

During her closing arguments Wednesday, Moran brought up that police did not find any physical evidence such as fingerprints or DNA at the northeast Fresno home where the sexual assault happened.

But she also said Ward’s outbursts during court and the spitting at her in the presence of the jury didn’t help his case.

Ward was previously convicted in 2000 in Fresno County Superior Court of assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm. In 2010, he was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court on a charge of intimidating a witness.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 27.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 2:36 PM.