La Mesa
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A La Mesa man who pleaded guilty to three counts of child molestation and videotaping minors in sex acts was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in state prison.
Every seat in judge William Mudd’s Superior Court was filled with angry parents, victims, or friends of Michael Tobin, 51, who also was fined $30,000, the maximum.
Tobin was originally charged in May with 49 counts of molestation, stemming from incidents with four boys and three girls, and sexual exploitation of children, whom he videotaped.
He pleaded guilty Aug. 15 to three counts, and the rest of the charges were dropped.
Tobin was a volunteer at Juvenile Hall and had sold police radios to the San Diego and Chula Vista police departments, but none of the victims in this case came into contact with Tobin through his work.
One mother said in court: “All I ask is the court not show him mercy, as he didn’t show mercy to the children.”
Mudd imposed the 10-year term recommended by Deputy Dist. Atty. Dave Rubin.
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