Petaluma Man Convicted of Felony Sex Offense on Child in 1997 Found by Jury to currently be a Mentally Disordered Offender

District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced today that on February 28, 2019, Tony Manuel Machado, 58 years old of Petaluma, was found by a jury to currently be a Mentally Disordered Offender.

In 1996 Machado was at a park in Petaluma and noticed that a 6 year old girl was playing nearby. Machado noted that the child separated from her mother and walked unattended into the public restroom of the park. Machado followed, contacted the child, and inappropriately touched her in a sexual manner. Machado later informed detectives that he had considered having sex with her, but decided against it. The child was able to get away from Machado and return to her mother, who summoned police.

Machado was charged and convicted of felony child molestation in 1997 and was sentenced to state prison. Machado had suffered a conviction in 1994 for similar conduct. Subsequently in 2000, prior to being released on a grant of parole, the State Department of Mental Health and the Department of Corrections determined that Machado met the criteria as a Mentally Disordered Offender and transferred him to the state hospital system where he received psychiatric care and treatment.

During the current proceedings Machado exercised his right to have a yearly jury trial on the issue of whether he represents a current substantial danger of causing physical harm to others should he be released.. Last week, after hearing testimony from doctors from the state hospital, and Sonoma County Department of Mental Health, and reviewing specific records from Machado’s psychiatric hospital file, a jury found that Machado is currently a Mentally Disordered Offender.

Deputy District Attorney Jamie Kandel prosecuted the matter on behalf of the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.