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Lenny Jones accused of kidnapping and sexual assault

April 14, 2015

7456762_GBy KAREN VELIE and JOSH FRIEDMAN

UPDATE: Lenny Jones’ bail has been increased from $500,000 to $1 million.

ORIGINAL: Arroyo Grande’s 2014 Citizen of the Year was arrested Monday for allegedly kidnapping, penetrating with a foreign object, and molesting two girls under 14 years of age. The alleged molestation took place while the girls were attending a birthday party at Lenny Jones’ home in March.

Jones, 63, has been a leader in the community heading multiple boards. Until he resigned a few weeks ago, Jones was the president of the Woods Humane Society, the president of the Pismo Coast Association of Realtors, past president of the Rotary Club of Arroyo Grande, past board chair of the Arroyo Grande Chamber of Commerce,  and was involved in Arroyo Grande in Bloom and the Arroyo Grande Tree Guild.

Local sources told CalCoastNews that this is not the first time Jones has been accused of child molestation. More than 20 years ago, Jones and a business associate parted ways after it was suspected Jones had inappropriately touched a child, sources said.

A few weeks ago, Jones stopped working in his Arroyo Grande real estate office and told friends he was checking into a 30-day rehab center for an addiction, a source said.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s detectives served a search warrant at Jones’ home on the 500 block of Cameo Way in Arroyo Grande. At 8 p.m., detectives served a second search warrant at his real estate office.

Detectives arrested Jones on charges of kidnapping, child molestation and penetration with a foreign object and booked him into the San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $500,000.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending, according to a press release.

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying any other potential victims in this case by calling the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office at (805) 781-4500.

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When we read these kinds of horrible accusations it’s difficult not to have ugly reactions to such ugly crimes. It is at times like this that we should pause and give thought to the constitution which has allowed our republic to continue for such a long time. Very little has been reported, no case has been presented and it will be a long time before we learn what did or didn’t occur. It would be best to put away the tar and r

feathers until we know what we’re talking about. If he’s convicted of crimes, then have your say. In the meantime, pay attention to developments and remember that, no matter how this turns out, Lenny has contributed much to the people and animals of his hometown.


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Wrong Mike. You need to understand the difference between a court of law and the court of public opinion. In the court of public opinion, there is NO “innocent until proven guilty. O.J. was convicted in the court of public opinion and not convicted in the court of law. The court of public opinion was right in the O.J. case and I think they are right in this case.


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so true Mike! I was in Germany just last year cruisng down the autobahn thinking, “you know Hitler did do some good things for Germany.”


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10 thumbs down? Apparently sarcasm is lost on many people.


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“no matter how this turns out, Lenny has contributed much to the people and animals of his hometown”


Very disappointed to see you post that line. What good a person has done has NOTHING to do with the creep that he actually is. Quite often, people cover their real lives by snowjobbing those around them. this appears to be the case. No credit whatsoever given to this creep for the “good” he has done.


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Perspicacious, what good Lenny has done has been done. It’s that simple. And much of what he began will be carried forward by others. There is no turning that clock back. As the good citizen I try to be, I will reserve my judgement about the content of his character until I actually know something about what he did or did not do.


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I understand where you are coming from. However, in my experience, when there are multiple accusations over a period of time, 100% of the time the guy is worse than we even realize. That being said, when there are charges of this nature, we don’t want to hear about the “good” someone has done. Especially when he was probably SO involved in so many different “good” things that he was most likely doing it to mask his REAL behavior.


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The fact that bail just doubled may well prove your first point.


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That award Will look great next to the window in His Cell at CMC, Has he asked for a few different colored wigs for his Cell-ies Pleasure..


A new date every other day .. Please Note Folks, I’m sure the PD & DA’s office has their ducks in a row..


Maybe Mike , you can help Lenny with Bail if you think so much of him..


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This is why I voted for you in the initial supervisorial election last year. I like people who don’t rush to judgment and wait until the whole story comes out rather than immediately reacting to the emotionally-laden accusation of the moment. I don’t know that his contributions would balance the crimes he is accused of doing however.


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Thank you. I was pretty sure what would happen if I discussed the constitution and our legal system. Sadly, what I expected became reality. Lenny has already been convicted in the court of public opinion even though no charges have yet been filed. Our legal system can’t function this way. Innocent until proven guilty isn’t just an overused phrase; it is what sets our nation so far above most others.


I’ve no idea what happened and neither does anybody else on this thread. The only difference is, I’ll reserve my judgement until I know something about it.


It’s ironic that this comes on the heals of a recent post about the last time the good people of Arroyo Grande decided not to honor our Constitution and decided a lynching from the railroad trestle was preferable to letting the justice system sort everything out.


These are abhorrent allegations and, if true, God help Lenny and God help the victims. In the meantime, let’s try to better understand how our legal system works.


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Always trying to be a statesmen. you don’t understand pedophiles at all.


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Until all the facts come out, according to the law, Lenny is innocent until proven guilty.

Remember the girl who accused the lacrosse team of raping her?

What about the recent story in Rolling Stone magazine?

I’m not implying these girls are lying about what took place, but there have been times when false accusations have been reported. At this point and time WE do not know what happened, we only know what is alleged to have happened.


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True, but this isn’t a court of law. It is a court of public opinion and I say he is guilty as sin.


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Personally I am inclined to believe the same, but there’s always the chance I may be proven wrong.


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explicit photos of children do not lie


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Dogeatdog, if I had any statesmanship in me I would have either stayed out of this conversation or just gone along with the mob. You are correct that I don’t understand pedophiles. I can’t even imagine a brain so unhinged as to hurt children so horrifically. That said, with no charges yet filed, no preliminary hearing yet held, no information yet released and, of course, no trial or plea yet made to determine guilt, it goes against our very well-refined system of justice to arrive at such arbitrary conclusions absent any information upon which to base such a conclusion. Where will our juries come from if everyone is so prone to premature verdicts and punishment?


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“Sadly, what I expected became reality. Lenny has already been convicted in the court of public opinion even though no charges have yet been filed”


Charges HAVE been filed in that court and our legal system does NOT operate that way. The way you are posting, you are blurring the two together.


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Perspicacious, according to what I’ve read and seen, no charges have yet been filed. It’s looking like there will be additional charges when that happens.


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The only court mentioned in my post is the “court of public opinion”. THAT is the court I said charges have been filed in. Read my post again. :)


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Mike – I respect most of what you share on politics (go Jim) and things but, this one obvisouly hit a personal note with you. I’m guessing since you’re both realtors you must have crossed paths many times over the years and that sucks.


I cannot remember a time in my tons of years where this many allegations have come forth with the suspect quickly and quietly resigning his important “non-profit” posts in a blanket format. Seems that if he had a chance he would have stayed close to the people who might have been supporters. Instead he says “I’m taking 30 days away for rehab!”


The media will have their say…..our Cal-Coast buddys are having theirs but, in my opinion he had his say as well and showed his hand of cards long before they nabbed him!


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Mike, its called grooming. They do what they have to do, no matter how long it takes, to get close to kids. Thats a fact.


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What a piece of garbage. Throw away the key.


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So the Trib just updated the story, Lenny had some sort of birthday party at his house on March 24th and he molested 2 girls on that date, so he knew this arrest was coming.


That is why he stepped down from the rotary and Woods, he knew what was coming around the bend.


Years ago Goodell asked him to leave the partnership because of touching some kid. And then there was the incident where Lenny “accidentally” exposed himself.


To bad something was not done years ago with his inappropriate actions, maybe these girls would not have been harmed.


I wonder if it was one of their birthdays that they were celebrating, if not where were the parents that he was able to molest 2 children in one day.


Lenny you are one sick person and maybe you should have thought of rehab years ago instead of once you got caught. Child molesters are not liked among inmates so enjoy your stay in jail and then hopefully prison for the rest of your life.


Just remember what goes around, comes around, here fishy, fishy, fishy, you are going to be someones bitch in the near future.


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What a creep.


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When you have a family member that works in a State Hospital you can’t help from being concerned about their safety, then you read stories like this and realize that the State Hospital is actually safer because you know who the deviants are.


Another problem is that the word sick is not their deviance, they are hardwired for this behavior. To change them would be like trying to un-gay, or un-hetero someone. Still we fund the impossible at the expense of what we can change.


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“hardwired”.


That’s a load of crap Jorge. And you know it. Maybe not though if you’re on the left of things.


I suggest you buy a Bible and read it from Genesis to Revelation.


And yes, one can become “un-gay”.


1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says; Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10: nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11: Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.


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Exactly. saying people are “born that way” is just an excuse to not take responsibility for their behavior. I admit, some people may have inherent “leanings” toward certain behaviors, but they still DECIDE to act on those feelings. There are many ex-homosexuals. Remember Ellen Degeneres’ girlfriend a few years ago? She left the lifestyle.


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Where you go with your handbasket is your business, I’ll just watch you skip on by.


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um this had nothing to do with being gay, he is a man who touched little girls….


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This is just Sick, I’m over 50 in most cases even Young Ladies half my age first thoughts in most cases is They Could be my Daughter..


for a normal man , very young girls Could be Your grand Children…


Even today Age is a big thing with most Normal people.. This Guy is 63, He had problems before.. Now he in Up to his Ass in this mess.. He is Cooked ,


My first Question would be to people who knew his past , how could you allow your young kids to be near him.. The last time this happened it was Hussed up .. No one knows what happened over it ..


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For the most part you are right in your conclusion but there are gradients here and some of the mentally ill are treatable — and a few of them may even be innocent of the charges upon which they were sent away.


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Just goes to show you never really know someone behind their closed doors! Citizen of the year, really??? Once again Arroyo Grande picked the wrong person to be a leader!


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Atascadero has done likewise. Another reason to only be average.


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Are you implying O’Malley et al, is the equivalent of this P.O.S.?


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I think Jorge was referring to former Atascadero Citizen of the Year, Kelly Gearhart. He may not have done as bad a thing as Jones is ACCUSED of doing but he did it to a lot more people.


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I hope so. But comparing this creep to Gearhart is wrong. Gearhart is a dishonest thief. This guy molests little girls…no comparison.


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Ha! You crack me up.

Did you see the advertisement for a new hot dog turner for the Sunday concert series?

Looks like Big Tony lost that job also!


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Or maybe he resigned, so he could go out on his own terms.


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You got me!


I forgot about his lame ass Friday at 5 turn over the gavel to the VP for the weekend loser act.


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What does Tony Ferrara have to do with this topic? I think you slipped onto the wrong story!


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Tony’s Selling Pencils next to the Pismo pier.. out of a shopping cart! if you want to know..


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OMG! I am just STUNNED! Does the DRE Know about this? If he gets a FELONY CONVICTION,

he can kiss his real estate license BYE-BYE!


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Would you let this man sell your home? I think he days of real estate are going just because of the charges.


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He’s got much bigger problems than his license.


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For years there was a rumor that he allegedly molested a minor years ago. I am sure there will be other brave victims coming forward. He can forget about a career in Real Estate. Who would want to hire someone with this sort of history or even suspicion?


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Lenny also recently dropped out of his Rotary club…seems as though he may have known this was coming.


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You’re right.

Apparently the incident occurred three weeks ago, on 3/24/15.


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Yes, and his Rotary buddies knew of his drinking problem too.

Seems Lenny has been unraveling for some time.


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Pedophilia is his problem it appears.


I don’t understand the comment about his rotary buddies knowing he had a drinking problem, and what that has to do with this.


It seems like every time someone gets caught by the law, they have some excuse. I have a drinking problem, a drug problem, my parents were nasty to me as a child, never their fault.


I wish one person would just stand up and say


I AM JUST A SICK PERSON WHO LIKES TO MOLEST KIDS.,


Stop making excuses. Who knows because the kids were at his house maybe he won’t get as much time as someone who goes out preying on children. I am glad he won’t be getting the judge in orange county who likes to make excuses for these scum bag MF’s.


Get ready to sequel like a pig Lenny, cause Bubba and 5 of his friends are going to do the same thing to you, that you did to these innocent kids.


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All the alcohol does is lower a person’s inhibitions. The idea to do something “naughty” existed long before they take their first drink.


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True, my point is there were other things going on. People around him noticed the problem with alcohol. It is not an excuse, merely an observation.


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No, the birthday party was Sunday, March 22nd. I remember well.


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please explain more, who’s birthday was it and were you actually there?


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According to Sheriff’s website, incident occurred 3/13/15 @ 5PM.

Sheriff’s Office notified on 3/24/15.

Lenny arrested 4/13/15.


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Hey, all he was doing was trying to teach her the same things those defending depravity in the “banned books” thread say we should be teaching youngsters.


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You could start your own club, get your peer group and all of you could burn some books, because as everyone knows books are the reason.


Later you could go to the library and get all of the books that might give someone a bad idea and burn those too or perhaps a “secure” book room so we can track who reads these and keep an eye on them.


/sarcasm


This is why America can’t have nice things.


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I think books are at least as dangerous as guns, and ought to be at least as stringently regulated.


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says the man illuminated by the light of a bonfire…


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Give me a break. You obliviously don’t believe in Free Speech or you don’t know how to read.


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In a way you are right but I think that guns can pose a more direct and immediate threat to the public so they should have minimal regulations (fewer than currently exist in this state.)


People who are unable to think rationally probably shouldn’t be allowed to use either. The problem is determining who these people are without definitive proof via actions.


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Not sure why the outrage on my post? Could some of you “thumbs down” folks explain?


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