Crime & Safety

Cilibraise Pleads Not Guilty to Lewd Acts with Tot in Vons Restroom

A preliminary hearing is set July 5 to determine if enough evidence exists to send the case to trial.

Russell Charles Cilibraise III of La Mesa pleaded not guilty Tuesday afternoon to a single felony charge that alleged substantial sexual conduct with a 2-year-old child in a Vons restroom.

Cilibraise, 29, was ordered held on $100,000 bail by Judge Charles Ervin at East County Superior Court in El Cajon.   

He was arrested Friday in connection with an incident two days earlier at the Vons store in the La Mesa Springs shopping center on University Avenue.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to La Mesa police, a witness entered the restroom and saw Cilibraise sitting on a toilet with his pants down and the toddler on his lap.

The child, apparently known to the defendant, allegedly was touching Cilibraise's penis.    A bail review was set for Monday and a readiness conference for July 1. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 5 at the El Cajon Courthouse.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

City News Service contributed to this report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.