Office of the District Attorney - Maggie Fleming, District Attorney
News Release
April 25, 2016
William Jarnaghan (dob 12/9/77) was sentenced today after pleading guilty on March 22, 2016 to one felony count of Penal Code Section 289(h) (Sexual Penetration with a Foreign Object of a Minor Under the Age of 18). The defendant was the Hoopa High School softball coach until the school learned of his sexual contact with a minor.
The victim was present in court and along with her family supported the plea and sentence. The victim’s grandfather addressed the Court, and spoke of the betrayal he felt after trusting Mr. Jarnaghan to coach the victim. In addition to 3 years of supervised probation, Superior Court Judge Joyce Hinrichs imposed 364 days of jail time. Sentencing also included lifetime registration as a sex offender, a lifetime restriction on gun ownership and the requirement that the defendant complete a sex offender treatment program.
Mr. Jarnaghan will be in custody starting tonight.
The case was investigated by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department and the Child Abuse Services Team and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Brie Bennett.