Alleged Paso Robles pedophile headed to trial

March 21, 2017

Following testimony revealing that Paso Robles man Jason Porter allegedly held down a 4-year-old girl while he performed oral sex, a San Luis Obispo judge ruled there is enough evidence for the child molestation and sexual abuse case to go to trial.

Porter, 44, is accused of molesting or secretly recording more than 40 people. Most of the children whom he allegedly molested were between 1 and 4 years old.

The Paso Robles man, who did some childcare work, allegedly molested most of the children in their sleep. The molestation allegedly took place at the kids’ homes, in the pool, during sleepovers and even while Porter was changing diapers.

Additionally, Porter amassed thousands images of children and adults, some of which came from a camera he installed in his family bathroom, according to court testimony. The Paso Robles man is also accused of using a shoe camera to take photo’s under women’s skirts.

On Monday and Tuesday, Paso Robles police detective Christopher McGuire testified during preliminary hearings in Porter’s case. McGuire testified that investigators recovered 30,000 to 40,000 still images of sexually explicit content.

The testimony, which included graphic detail, left some members of the courtroom audience in tears, including parents of the alleged victims. One newscaster left the courtroom weeping during the testimony about Porter allegedly molesting young girls.

Porter is facing more than 30 charges, including at least several counts each of oral copulation with a child, using a concealed camera and using a device to see through clothing.

As CalCoastNews first reported, more than a decade ago, author Tina Swithin began battling to keep Porter, her former brother-in-law, away from her children. Swithin reported that Porter beat puppies, made out with a 14-year-old girl at a wedding and spoke of murdering and raping women.

However, a social services evaluator dismissed her claims and asked the court to force Swithin to send her children to the Porter home for the holidays.

At the time of his arrest, Porter was living with his parents Lyle and Margaret Porter. Lyle Porter is a former Mission Prep principal and Margaret Porter was then the vice principal at Old Mission School. Margaret Porter was let go after her son’s case prompted parents to threaten to unregister their children.

Last summer, officers arrested Porter both in June and July. In June 2016, a woman found Porter taking lewd photographs of her 6-year-old daughter. Police arrested Porter and booked him into the county jail, but he quickly posted bail and was released.

In July, officers served a search warrant at the home Porter shared with his parents. Detectives seized computers and storage devices and discovered thousands of images and videos of suspected child and adult pornography. Officers arrested Porter again, and he has since remained in jail with his bail set at $7 million.

On Tuesday, at the completion of a preliminary hearing, Judge Craig Van Rooyen ruled enough evidence exists for Porter to go to trial on all of the charges he is facing. Porter’s next court date is scheduled for March 24 at 8:30 a.m.