Trial of alleged Paso Robles pedophile starts Tuesday

May 23, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

The trial of a  Paso Robles man who allegedly molested or secretly recorded numerous people, including toddlers, is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

The trial was set to start two years ago, but Jason Robert Porter ousted his public defender and opted to represent himself at trial, which delayed the trial as Porter filed multiple motions. The parent’s of several alleged victims then voiced concerns about the impact of having an alleged molester question his victim’s at trial.

Last week, Porter agreed to have attorney Jeffry Radding, who has been shadowing the case, represent him at trial. In addition, Porter elected not to have a jury trial.

Officers arrested Porter in June 2016, after a woman found him allegedly taking lewd photographs of her 6-year-old daughter. Prosecutors allege Porter molested multiple children under the age of 7 between 2012 and 2016. At least one of the alleged molestation victims may have been younger than the age of 2.

During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors described electronic evidence gathered during the serving of a search warrant, including videos showing a child being molested in which the molester’s watch and shorts match items belonging to Porter.

In addition, prosecutors described video taken by a camera Porter allegedly placed in a bathroom at the home he shared with his parents. Two females, at the Porter home for a pool party, changed into their suits. A man with a watch matching Porters, then goes into the bathroom and masturbates on the girl’s clothing.

Testimony in the case has also revealed Porter allegedly held down a 4-year-old girl while he performed oral sex.

Porter is charged with 16 felony counts of lewd acts with a child, sexual penetration of a victim 10 years old or younger, possession of matter depicting a minor involved in sexual content and 41 misdemeanor counts of using a concealed camera to record a person’s undergarments.

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 was 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.