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SLO County man receives 250 years in prison for sexually abusing children

March 30, 2023

Craig Anthony Grunow

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A judge on Thursday sentenced a 57-year-old man to 250 years to life in prison for raping a child and sexually abusing two other children in San Luis Obispo County.

From Aug. 2018 through Aug. 2021, Craig Anthony Grunow sexually assaulted children at his home in the Heritage Ranch area. Grunow knew two of the victims well. He abused the third victim after the child came to his home as a guest.

In January, a San Luis Obispo jury convicted Grunow of one count of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 and 10 counts of committing a lewd act on a child under the age of 14. 

Jurors also convicted Grunow of an enhancement for committing lewd acts on multiple victims under the age of 14. The enhancement required a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for each eligible offense. 

On Thursday, all three victims appeared at Grunow’s sentencing hearing. One of the victims submitted a written statement. Likewise, two relatives spoke about the effect the crimes had on the victims and their families.

Judge Timothy Covello commended the victims for their testimony. The victims were poised, truthful and courageous, Covello said. 

The judge issued Grunow the maximum sentence he could receive.

“California law still protects its most vulnerable citizens by authorizing a sentence of life imprisonment for this type of child molestation case,” District Attorney Dan Dow said in a statement following the sentencing. “This sentence should ensure that this predator is never able to harm a child again. The bravery of these young survivors should encourage all other victims of sexual abuse to report and seek help from law enforcement.”


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Under 10


8

I hope he lives every day of the next 250 years in fear, terror and agony


18

That will not help anybody.


-22

He won’t. In the great state of California, even if we do manage to put and keep someone in prison; great expense and effort has been taken to make sure that not a hair on the head of these poor misunderstood child molesters is harmed while they do their time. There are four or five CDCR prisons that have “SNY” yards (Special Needs Yards). They are designed so that child molesters, rapists, high-profile offenders (like Paul Flores), gang drop-outs, snitches, and any other inmate who’s crime or behavior while in prison may put their lives in jeopardy. Upon acceptance into the program (aslo known as “protective custody”), the inmates agree that their continued existence on these yeards depends upon them agreeing not to bring violence upon each other nor forming or participating in gang activity. Any such breach of the agreement, will ensure them being transferred back to a general population yard. For the most part it works. I worked 7 of my 17 years wit CDCR in a prison that was converted to SNY. So the comment by “GreatGuy” is somewhat correct. Hoping that any criminal will receive anything near serious punishment in single-party, crime-friendly, hug-a-thug California will likely “not help anybody.” You can certainly be sure that it will not hurt the offender, no matter how heinous the crime.


1