Former councilman in California city arraigned on sex crimes against a child
A former councilmember in Porterville was arraigned this week for sex crimes against a minor that are alleged to have happened during his time on city council, according to prosecutors.
Daniel Penaloza pleaded not guilty to the indictment by a Tulare County Grand Jury on Wednesday, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. His attorney could not immediately be reached.
The 28-year-old faces two counts of sex with a minor more than three years younger, sodomy of a person under 18 and a misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a child, prosecutors said.
He also faces a felony count of dissuading a witness, which prosecutors say is related to a separate victim from the sex crimes.
The crimes took place between June 2020 and last May, when he was on the council, according to prosecutors. He won a seat in 2018 and resigned in June.
He faces up to five years in prison, according to prosecutors.
