Jury convicts Petaluma masseuse of molestation

A Petaluma massage therapist on Monday was convicted for a second time of sexually abusing a teenage neighbor over a period of several years and molesting or annoying her young friend.

John Christopher Sparrow, 57, was remanded into custody after a nine-woman, three-man jury found him guilty of the same 12 criminal counts he had been convicted of in his first trial in 2013.

“Yes!” shouted friends of the two girls, now 18 and 20, as a bailiff placed Sparrow in handcuffs. He had been free on bail.

Now Sparrow faces nearly 24 years in prison when he is sentenced April 28.

The verdict came after a little more than a full day of deliberation following a two-week trial.

Jurors listened to graphic testimony about abuse that began in 2005 when one of the girls was 14. Both victims testified Sparrow provided them with drugs.

“It was a difficult case to be a juror on,” said one man who declined to give his name.

Sparrow took the stand, denying any wrongdoing.

He was granted a new trial following an appeals court ruling that he received ineffective assistance from his lawyer at his first trial.