Community Corner
Andre Edwards Sentenced to 9 Months in County Jail
The former Ralston Middle School custodian will surrender to the court on July 20, 2013 to begin serving his sentence.
Andre Edwards, the former Ralston Middle School custodian and coach, accused of molesting a female student in 2010 and 2011, was sentenced to nine months in county jail and three years supervised probation Friday, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
In May, Edwards pleaded no contest to felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor child annoyance in exchange for a maximum of nine months in jail, and no prison time.
Edwards, 54, appeared in the courtroom Friday with his attorney Eric Hove.
Two defense witnesses addressed the court asking the judge to impose just the probationary sentence, stating that Edwards was a family man who was a coach and mentor to many and was instrumental building the popular after school sports program at Ralston Middle School. They also credited Edwards with saving the lives of three students who were pinned under a runaway car in the school parking lot in 2007.
"Mr. Edwards is a proud veteran, having served six years in the U.S. Army, a loving husband, father and grandfather," said Alex Bailey, a longtime friend of Edwards.
However, the prosecution argued that due to the nature of the crimes and the testimony of the victim, the maximum nine-month jail sentence and probation was just and fair, and Judge Karesh agreed.
At a June 17 hearing, the victim addressed Edwards directly saying, “I lost a childhood that I can never get back. We both know what you did and thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.”
“You shouldn’t have been around young girls after what you did to me. I’m still trying to pick up pieces of my life. This has scarred me both emotionally and mentally,” she continued.
In addition to jail time and probation, San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Karesh ordered Edwards to enter a sex offender treatment program as directed by the probation officer, be subjected to search and seizure, have no association with minor unless in presence of responsible adult, stay 100 yards away from schools and other areas children congregate, not reside in a house where a child resides unless related by blood or marriage, have no contact with victim, make restitution in amounts to be determined to the victims, possess no weapons or ammunition, pay fines totaling $560, and genetic marker testing, Wagstaffe said.Edwards has a surrender date of July 20, 2013 and will begin serving his nine month sentence in San Mateo County Jail at that time.
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