Santa Barbara 'serial pedophile' gets 92 years to life

SANTA BARBARA — An 84-year-old Santa Barbara man described by prosecutors as a “serial pedophile” has been sentenced to 92 years to life in state prison.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley on Wednesday announced the sentencing of Robert Charles Hawley, who was found guilty on March 25 of nine counts of child molestation and sexual assault against three family members. The jury also found true the special allegation that he had committed sex crimes against multiple victims.

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Dudley said the prosecution was aided by several civilians, starting with someone who called 911 when she saw the defendant engaging in inappropriate touching of a young girl in a supermarket. The witness gave authorities a description of Hawley and the license plate of a vehicle, according to Dudley. A police investigation uncovered additional victims, and three of them testified at his trial, according to Dudley.

The prosecution team read impact statements from two of the victims that expressed the amount of damage Hawley caused each of them individually as well betraying the family, according to Dudley. 

“This is an example of a case where citizens were willing to come forward and report suspicious behavior to law enforcement, and the excellent investigation by members of the Santa Barbara Police Department resulting in a predator against women and children being held accountable for unthinkable crimes,” Dudley said in a news release.