Judge: Kilgore to stand trial for abuse allegations

Case will proceed after third witness testifies at preliminary hearing|

Paul Dwayne Kilgore will be “held to answer” for the allegations of child sexual abuse made against him, a Sonoma County Superior Court judge said Monday at the close of a preliminary hearing to gauge whether there was sufficient evident against the former Sonoma Valley Boys and Girls Club athletic director to bring him to trial.

A third young witness took the stand against Kilgore on the afternoon of Feb. 6 during the second day of a preliminary hearing at the Sonoma County Superior Courthouse.

Kilgore, 68, was arrested in September at his Sonoma Valley home and was charged with seven counts of sexual abuse of a child.

Testimony by the 15-year-old male witness in front of Judge Jamie Thistlethwaite on Monday, mirrored statements by the ?14- and 12-year-old boys who took the stand last Thursday. All three described a pattern over the last five years of fondling during trips to area pools, arcades and time spent in the defendant’s bedroom of his Boyes Hot Springs home.

The case is being spearheaded by Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Javier Vaca, and it was Vaca who conducted the questioning of the witnesses during the preliminary hearing.

Monday’s testimony was detailed about the ways in which Kilgore allegedly touched the third victim and the sexual acts that he allegedly asked of the boy and at least one other youth. In particular, the witness told of instances involving masturbation and the use of a vibrating device used for a sexual purpose.

The boy spoke quietly but was composed throughout the testimony, which lasted for more than an hour.

After the first witness was dismissed, Healdsburg police officer Craig Smith took the stand to clarify a specific point about the photo of the vibrating item entered into evidence.

Smith was the officer to execute the search warrant of Kilgore’s house, car and storage locker in September, and he has helped lead the investigation since that time.

The purpose of the preliminary hearing, which concluded yesterday, was to determine if there is enough evidence to justify holding the defendant to answer for the alleged charges. At just after 4 p.m., Judge Thistlethwaite ruled that Kilgore will be “held to answer” to all of the counts against him except one, as well as to the “enhancements” that allege multiple victims. The one count that was dismissed involved the definition of force. Thistlethwaite agreed with public defender Lynette Brown that not enough proof was provided to hold Kilgore to answer to that particular count.

The next step in the process will be the “filing of information” related to the charges on Feb. 17.

Kilgore has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has been held on $1 million bail for almost four months, and will remain in custody as the case against him proceeds.

Email Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

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