Clown prison-bound for child molestation

FONTANA, Calif., Sept. 11 (UPI) -- A 51-year-old California man who performed as a clown at children's parties will spend the next 12 years in prison for child molestation, a prosecutor says.

San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Briye McCann said since David Albert Lemus agreed to plead guilty to felony charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child and oral copulation by threat, he will spend the next dozen years in prison, Los Angeles' KTLA-TV reported Wednesday.

The plea deal dismissed five molestation charges related to two 2005 child abuse cases at the National Orange Show fairgrounds in San Bernardino, Calif.

Two girls, ages 12 and 14 at the time, told police they had been molested by Lemus. Police said Lemus had been wearing his clown outfit for a portion of the illicit sex acts.

KTLA-TV said Lemus, who will be officially sentenced Oct. 2, had worn that same outfit at dozens of Southern California birthday parties prior to his arrest.