Menifee Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Murrieta Boy: Update

Murrieta CA

06 May, 2021

8:25 PM

Description

MURRIETA, CA — A convicted sex offender accused of sexually assaulting a Murrieta boy and arranging for other men to do the same must stand trial on a dozen sex-related felony charges, a judged ruled Thursday. David Everett Leibowitz, 43, of Menifee was charged in August 2018 with three counts of sodomy of a minor, five counts of lewd acts on a child and one count each of inducing a minor to perform commercial sex acts, child stealing, possession of child pornography and indecent exposure to a minor. Following a preliminary hearing during which Leibowitz acted as his own attorney, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Randall Stamen found there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial on all charges and set a post- preliminary hearing arraignment for May 20 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Leibowitz remains held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. His preliminary hearing was repeatedly postponed over the last two years because of his changing attorneys before ultimately deciding to represent himself. District Attorney's Office and Murrieta Police Department personnel jointly investigated the Leibowitz case over a period of months. According to the DA's office, the convicted felon met the victim, identified only as a teenager, via a dating website in January 2015. Prosecutors allege that Leibowitz had the boy come to his residence, where the defendant committed "multiple violent sex acts" over an unspecified period of time, according to an agency statement. It's further alleged that he invited other adult males — as yet unidentified — to engage in similar acts with the teen. The alleged offenses did not come to light until several years later. It was unclear why. According to court records, Leibowitz has prior convictions for lewd acts on a child under 14 years old and theft. If convicted, he could face life in prison.