Carl Cacconie was free on $1 million bail after a jury found him guilty of six felony counts.
LAKE TAHOE, CA — A California man convicted of child sex crimes disappeared before sentencing after a judge allowed him to remain free on bail, leaving prosecutors, a victim and her family questioning the court decision.
Carl W. Cacconie, 51, was found guilty July 17, 2025, in El Dorado County of six counts of committing lewd acts upon a child younger than 14. He was scheduled to return to court Aug. 25 for sentencing, where prosecutors said he faced up to 18 years in prison. He did not appear, and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office has called him a fugitive from justice.
The case moved through the El Dorado County courthouse in South Lake Tahoe after years of delay for the woman who said Cacconie abused her when she was 11. The woman, now an adult, said the jury’s verdict brought relief after a difficult trial. “It was a sense of relief,” she said. “All of the tears, it was all worth it in the end.” That relief did not last. After the verdict, El Dorado County Judge Michael McLaughlin allowed Cacconie to leave court and return later for sentencing. Prosecutors said they objected and asked that he be taken into custody immediately.
Cacconie had been out of custody on a $1 million bail bond while awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors said he lived in San Mateo County before the trial. The District Attorney’s Office said law enforcement agencies began seeking him after he missed the sentencing hearing. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest. The victim, whose name has not been made public, said she feared adults would not believe her when she first disclosed the abuse. “He was an adult. People would believe an adult before me,” she said. Her mother, Alana Ramirez, said the family was angry that Cacconie was not held after the verdict.
Evidence at trial included allegations that Cacconie molested the girl for several months between 2014 and 2015. Jurors also heard testimony from another person who described being molested by Cacconie under similar circumstances in the early 2000s. The conviction covered six felony counts tied to lewd acts on a child younger than 14. The full details of Cacconie’s whereabouts after leaving court remain unknown. A probation report obtained by KCRA said Cacconie had been wearing a GPS ankle monitor, and the report said the monitor stopped working in San Francisco the week before the sentencing hearing.
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson said his office wanted Cacconie remanded after the jury returned its guilty verdicts. “This is someone a jury unanimously convicted of multiple acts against a child,” Pierson said. “Under those circumstances, there’s simply no question he should have been remanded into custody.” McLaughlin declined to comment on the case, citing rules that restrict judges from discussing pending matters. Retired Sacramento County Judge Maryanne Gilliard criticized the release decision, saying Cacconie should have been taken into custody because of the seriousness of the convictions.
The missed sentencing has placed new attention on the gap between conviction and punishment in serious felony cases. Prosecutors said Cacconie’s bail had been opposed by their office before he failed to appear. The bail bond could be forfeited, but the court still cannot impose the prison sentence unless Cacconie is found or returns to custody. The case also has renewed calls from the victim’s family for changes in how courts handle defendants convicted of child sex crimes. The victim said people found guilty in such cases should be held immediately after verdicts.
Ramirez said the family has lived with fear since Cacconie failed to appear. “It angers me because we were so close to him going to jail,” she said. She said she worries about her daughter’s safety and has not received an explanation that answers how Cacconie was allowed to leave court after the verdict. The victim said the case had already taken years and required her to speak publicly about abuse she had carried since childhood. She said hearing that Cacconie was guilty on all counts made her feel believed, but his disappearance changed what came next.
Authorities have not announced a new sentencing date because Cacconie remains wanted. The District Attorney’s Office said law enforcement agencies are looking for him, and the bench warrant remains the next legal step until he is taken into custody.
Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.