A male nanny in Costa Mesa has been found guilty of sexually abusing sixteen children. The nanny, Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, gained the trust of the parents before molesting the boys under the pretense of playing with them.
The conviction came after a monthlong trial in a Santa Ana courtroom, where prosecutors presented compelling video evidence of the abuse that Zakrzewski had brazenly created himself. The jury deliberated for several hours before finding him guilty of 34 felony counts.
In addition to the charges of molesting sixteen boys, Zakrzewski was also convicted of showing pornography to another child. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office stated that he could face up to 690 years to life in prison, meaning he would have to serve 690 years before being eligible for parole.
When the verdicts were read, Zakrzewski showed no visible reaction, while some parents quietly sobbed. After the trial, family members yelled for him to be turned around as he was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, but he did not look back.
Over a period of five years, starting in 2014, Zakrzewski convinced over a dozen families in Southern California to hire him as a nanny. His advertising emphasized his experience working with children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Parents testified in court that they were initially impressed by Zakrzewski’s background and his ability to connect with their children. However, Deputy District Attorney Juliet Oliver argued that he carefully manipulated the children during the babysitting sessions, making them believe they were best friends.
The youngest victim of Zakrzewski was only 2 or 3 years old at the time of the abuse.
Zakrzewski was arrested in May 2019 in Laguna Beach after a boy told his parents about the molestation. During the investigation, it was discovered that Zakrzewski had faced similar accusations in Los Angeles a year earlier. Despite initially refusing to talk about the abuse, the boy eventually described the molestation during a second interview.
A search of Zakrzewski’s electronic devices revealed thousands of photos and videos capturing his actions with the children. The prosecutor described him as obsessively recording every act.
As news of Zakrzewski’s arrest spread, more families came forward with accusations of sexual assault against their children.
During the trial, jurors were cautioned by attorneys about the graphic nature of some of the evidence, including photos and videos. Mental health counselors were even brought in to speak with the jurors after the verdict was reached.
The defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Ryan, urged jurors not to make snap judgments and to consider the intent behind Zakrzewski’s actions in the photos and videos.
Ryan admitted that Zakrzewski had shown pornography to some of the victims but argued that not all of the recorded material, such as children running around in their underwear, should be considered harmful.
Zakrzewski is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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