Contra Costa Man Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Minor

MARTINEZ, CA — A 40-year-old man was convicted Friday in Contra Costa County Superior Court of multiple counts related to the sexual abuse of a minor, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said Monday.

The suspected abuse came to the attention of authorities when the minor, who lived with the defendant Julian Chenychen, was admitted June 1, 2020, to a local hospital in Concord and gave birth to a full-term stillborn baby, the DA's Office said in a news release.

Jane Doe told medical staff she did not know what was happening to her body, nor did she understand she was pregnant. It was only after hours of suffering through severe stomach pains that Chenychen took her to the hospital, prosecutors said.

Staff at the hospital notified law enforcement about the stillbirth and their belief that Chenychen impregnated her.

Law enforcement officers detained Chenychen and referred the investigation to the Antioch Police Department.

After several forensic interviews with Jane Doe and investigations by Antioch police Detectives Kelly Inabnett and Brittney Crites, it was determined that the molestation had been taking place for years.

Chenychen and the minor moved to the United States in 2019 and since then, lived in various cities in Contra Costa County.

In 2021, the DA’s Office filed a complaint against Chenychen. The charges included six counts of aggravated assault of a child, 11 counts of lewd or lascivious acts involving children, and an enhancement of bodily harm inflicted during the commission of a felony — which was related to Jane Doe’s pregnancy.

Chenychen was convicted Friday by a Contra Costa jury for his actions on all charges and faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Deputy District Attorney Chris Sansoe noted that "while the crimes committed against Jane Doe were truly horrific, she is currently in a supportive living situation that is helping her heal from the abuse she suffered in the past."