A 50-year-old aerospace engineer was sentenced Monday to four years in state prison for arranging and meeting a 14-year-old girl in Palmdale for sex, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Richard Flower also was ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Last month, Flower pleaded no contest to contact with a minor for a sexual offense, lewd act upon a child, meeting a minor for sexual purposes and possession of child pornography. A no contest plea has the same legal effect as a guilty plea.
Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami, who prosecuted the case, said Flower contacted the victim through an online instant messaging service on Sept. 25 and arranged to meet her.
The following week, Flower met the girl in Palmdale and he had sex with her, the prosecutor added.
After the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was alerted about the interaction, investigators pretended to be the girl and sent text messages to Flower asking to meet again.
Flower was later arrested and child pornography was found on his cellphone, the prosecutor said.
The case was investigated by the Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau.
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michelle says
I know of a person who is mentally retarted and was proven in court that he made a false statement. No evidence against him. Courts wouldnt allow pass history of child in court,showing that she has done this before. Due to racism in antelope valley,court system and that defendent showed no remorse for accuser,judge added on a lesser charge during trial even though he was found not guilty on original charges ,. Now fighting for appeal. Defendent states why are they doing this to me mommy. Sentence to 11 years as they charged him on two of same lesser charges as confusion in courtroom due to judge couldnt explain lesser charges during sentence. Anyone have advice to help. This young man has 13 brother and sisters and lived in palmdale for 15 years without any trouble. Unfair hes innocent, even 3 doctors on case confirmed including nurse which states girl hymen still in tact,never had sex. My son should be free and i will fight until he is. Can anyone help me Please…
callitasitis says
@Greg
Question for those most enlighten one. How was a 14 year old girl sexualized to joy sexual contact with much older men???? Yes, she since it appears most likely NOT her first sexual encounter.
Greg says
Excellent question that can only be answered by the girl.
Some humans sexually mature faster than others, documented cases as young as 9 years of age in both sexes if I recall correctly.
Some cases it is due to sexual abuse by persons in contact with the young person.
Sometimes it is first time experimentation.
In every case it is only the person involved that can provide the correct answer.
Joe says
Last November, Los Angeles Unified School District lawyers fighting a civil lawsuit argued in court that a 14-year-old middle school student was mature enough to consent to having sex with her 28-year-old teacher, and that she bore some responsibility for what happened. The district’s attorneys also introduced the girl’s sexual history into the trial as part of their defense strategy.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/13/48034/lausd-argued-middle-schooler-can-consent-to-sex-wi/
Aren’t you glad they kicked God out of the schools?
Greg says
Has nothing to do with God being in or out of schools. It has to do with parenting and free will (One of God’s gifts to mankind in case you forget).
At her age I was in a religious private school. In my class alone a couple of the girls were dating college guys. That alone throws your argument of religion in PUBLIC schools right out the window.
My own children, raised in a non-religious setting (for the most part), did not do this type of thing, and they went to public school. Points for good parenting, and teaching them that their decisions affect their life and well being (free will).
Just Saying says
They kick out all the Gods, to prevent the ones you don’t like from taking over.
callitasitis says
Does anyone think this is right? He should of course received more time but that is plea dealing in action. The court system is overwhelmed and DA office made this deal to expedite the process. Of course the court (judge) can refuse the plea deal but MOST will not. The system has no choice but to MOVE FORWARD with the criminal cases but until WE the people TELL Sacramento this will NOT DO, it will NOT change. After this sexual deviant does his state prison time, he will be supervised upon release either by state parole which is understrength (state cuts) or by county probation (state dump) which under trained and equipment to handle this type of predators. After this deviant is NO longer under supervision (no more check in or checkup, **GPS) he is free to re-engage his sexual deviance.** No protesters in the street for this injustice??? What does life time registration (290 pc) really mean without someone checkup (supervision) of the sexual deviant. LAPD/ LASD/ KERN SO registration units do conduct check (residence verification) but no supervision, no checking computers, no checking for at risk victims in the house, no GPS.
Greg says
Guess you missed the notification in the papers and on websites during Halloween where the homes of sex offenders , like this, get checked to make sure they have no decor, are home, and are not answering doors.
Yes that is once a year, but it does prove someone checks on them from time to time counter to your fear mongering.
As others have noted, he was not a violent offender, not a rapist in the sense of going against the girls will. Hopefully he learned his lesson and gets some counselling and comes out a better person, going on dates with girls that are 18 years old or older.
callitasitis says
@ Greg,
The no Halloween display ONLY applies to those under supervision by state parole or county probation. Under terms and conditions of parole OR probation the local LE agency can check with or without those agency. That means that those who are NOT on some type of supervision have NO legal requirement. If you do not believe me call the LASD 290 pc unit and ask. * Yes when they move they have to update their new address with local LEO also within 5 days of their DOB in California. **As for fear mongering, the truth is this molester is into underage females his preferred target group. The 18 year old will NOT do unless she looks 14. The counseling is only good “IF” the molester accept that they are really wrong and really want to change. Here the problem these molesters are “NOT” stupid they will say what they need to say so mental health doctors can hear it and write it down. They are gaming the system that is why the containment model which is use in some state requires polygraphing and GPSing work better.
Gowchong says
Pinket is right, in many countries the age of consent is 14, and in some (rarely) even at the point of menarche. In most cases a female of this age will not be permanently mentally disabled or even suffer PTSD from a sex act. Babies who are sexually assaulted prior to this are…always…permanently disabled and suffer the trauma in their minds for life. However, regardless of the age, the perpetrators, and in this case, Flower, who at age 50 is definitely a pervert. It is not normal in our civilized society for a man who is several years older than the girl to have a sexual relationship in any way, shape, or form. It is obvious Flower could not develop a normal relationship with a woman closer to his own age, so he had to go to an impressionable child and take advantage of her lack of savvy with his own perverted savvy.
Four years is not enough. He should be carefully examined by a shrink and then castrated. Without anesthesia.
Just Saying says
…by angry weasels.
court system SUCKS says
My Family members attacker got time served… 3 1/2 months for attacking a four-year-old little girl. The judge said that he was old and sick and was dying and. He had to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life he lived 14 more years.. SMDH Child predators should die
VXSGUY says
4 years! Come on court system.