Napan facing 200 years in prison for child molestation

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

Renald David Dominguez, a former Napa foster parent, is looking at 200 years to life in prison.

Last week a jury convicted Dominguez, 58, on 19 counts of child molestation, including oral copulation and sodomy. The crimes involved three male victims who were foster children in Dominguez’s care. The sexual abuse happened in 1999 in Napa.

In 1999, the district attorney filed 15 counts of child molestation against Dominguez involving one of his foster children who was 8 at the time.

His defense attorney successfully argued for continuances for a number of years before the case went to trial.

Because of the long time delay, in 2003, Napa County Superior Judge Stephen Kroyer dismissed the charges against Dominguez, making him a free man.

The district attorney’s office petitioned the state attorney general’s office to look into Kroyer’s ruling, said deputy district attorney Paul Gero, who prosecuted the case. Kroyer’s ruling was turned over to the state court of appeals which overturned his ruling.

The district attorney reopened the case in 2006, Gero said.

“We brought in Napa Police detective Don Winegar who was on the first arrest,” Gero said. “We found five other victims. However, the crimes against three of them were too old to prosecute, but two of those victims testified at the trial.”

“The fascinating thing about this case is that the guy was molesting these foster kids and the county kept handing the kids over to him,” Gero said.

Gero said the defense attorney said the case was a conspiracy against Dominguez because he is gay.

“His partner was living with him when the molestations happened," said Gero.

Dominguez is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 4.

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