A Solano County Superior Court jury on Thursday found a 64-year-old Solano man guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14.
The felony conviction of Philip Christian Mosby came after a two-week trial in Department 15 in the Justice Building in Vallejo.
Jurors acquitted Mosby on three counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, but they found to be true the allegation that his behavior “constituted substantial sexual conduct,” according to wording in the District Attorney Office’s press statement issued late Friday.
After Judge E. Bradley Nelson confirmed the verdict, he ordered Mosby to return for a presentencing report and sentencing at 9 a.m. Jan. 22. Solano County Sheriff’s deputies then handcuffed Mosby and led him to the main county jail. At sentencing, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 16 years.
Court records show that beginning in June 2021, when the minor victim, a girl, was 4 years old, Mosby, a trusted family friend, began to molest her at an in-home daycare. The abuse continued for the next 1 1⁄2 years. To keep the child quiet, Mosby would give her candy and tell her not to disclose his behavior to anyone.
However, the girl eventually told her parents about the abuse, and they reported it to the Benicia Police Department. Officers subsequently arrested and interviewed Mosby. The DA’s Office filed its criminal complaint on March 27, 2023.
At trial, the girl, now 7 years old, faced Mosby and testified what happened to her.
Benicia Police Detective Ashley Wright and former Benicia Police Detective Kenyatta Nathaniel investigated the case.
Deputy District Attorney William Moser led the prosecution. Victim Witness Advocate Amy Harris provided advocacy and support throughout the trial.
Fairfield criminal defense attorney Thomas M. Maas represented Mosby.
In the prepared statement, District Attorney Krishna Abrams, Solano County’s chief law enforcement officer, said if you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault and needs the assistance of an advocate to call (707) 784-6827.
