District
Attorney Vern Pierson announces the felony conviction of 39 year old ERIC
LEE HATFIELD for 11 felony counts of Forcible Penetration of a Person
under the Age of 14 years and 12 felony counts of Forcible Oral Copulation of a
Person under the age of 14 years. One of
the counts of Forcible Penetration of a Person under the age of 14 years and
two of the counts of Forcible Oral Copulation of a Person under the age of 14 years
involved the personal use of a shotgun by the defendant.
On
November 17, 2016, an El Dorado County jury made up of six men
and six women convicted ERIC LEE HATFIELD of 11 Felony
counts of Forcible Penetration of a Person under the Age of 14 years and 12
Felony counts of Forcible Oral Copulation of a Person under the age of 14
years, including 3 special allegations of the personal use of a firearm during
the commission of the felony. The jury
deliberated three and a half hours after hearing testimony from
the minor victim, the victim’s family, members of defendant’s family, the
defendant and District Attorney Investigators. The case was investigated
by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s
Office. After the verdicts, the Honorable Kenneth Melikian remanded
the defendant into the El Dorado County jail with no bail pending the
January 13, 2017, sentencing hearing. The defendant faces a maximum
of 120 years to life in prison.
District
Attorney Vern Pierson stated, District Attorney Vern Pierson stated, “The
successful prosecution of a dangerous sexual predator is always the product of
coordinated teamwork by many professionals. In particular, however, I commend
Deputy District Attorney Jamie Pesce for her tireless efforts on behalf of the
People of the State of California. ”