Attorney for ex-Fresno school bus driver accused of molestation challenges child’s mother
The attorney representing a former Fresno Unified bus driver accused of child molestation on Monday took aim at the mother of the alleged victim in the case, accusing her of lying.
Eric Schweitzer is the attorney for Jeffrey Sipes, 57, who is charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse going back several years. He has already pleaded no contest to possessing hundreds of images of child pornography.
Along with possessing child porn, detectives found 412 images on his computer of young girls shopping with their mothers at Wal-Mart, at grocery stores and even at school. Some of the photos appear to be taken from inside a school bus.
During Monday’s hearing, Schweizter grilled the child’s mother about previous allegations of abuse the alleged victim had leveled at other family members. He also accused the mother of trying to destroy Sipes because they had a rocky relationship.
Schweitzer wanted to know why she hadn’t said anything to police sooner than 2017 when Sipes was arrested on a cyber tip that he was receiving child pornography.
“I was afraid of him for many, many years,” the witness testified.
She said Sipes was belittling, controlling and abusive. She admits to having a deep suspicion something bad was happening, but she also didn’t know how to deal with the situation.
“I didn’t want to believe someone could do such a horrific act,” she said.
“Is it fair to say you hated him?” Schweitzer asked.
She replied: “No I didn’t hate him, I pitied and was disgusted by him.”
At one point in their relationship, she kicked him out after finding him naked in her child’s bedroom. He left but would later return.
The witness allegedly stayed in a relationship with Sipes for about three years after the alleged incident.
When asked by prosecutor Kaitlin Drake why she allowed Sipes back into her life after seeing him naked inside the child’s room, the witness said she was financially dependent on him.
In hindsight, she acknowledges she made a mistake.
“If I had to do it again, I would have rather lived under a bridge and steal food to feed my child,” she said.
The trial continues in Judge Gary D. Hoff’s courtroom, Dept. 71.
