EL CAJON– Two registered sex offenders accused of sexually assaulting a teen at an El Cajon Motel 6, had their first court appearance Wednesday.
“My concern is the victim and making sure we hold these men accountable for what they did, for what they did to this very vulnerable 16-year-old girl,” said Clayton Carr, the San Diego County Deputy District Attorney.
70-year-old Michael Inman and 34-year-old Lawrence “Larry” Cantrell are co-defendants in an alleged underage sexual assault pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.
In court, Carr said Inman met a 16-year-old girl at a trolley station in Lemon Grove.
Inman brought the girl to Cantrell’s Motel 6 room, on Montrose Court in El Cajon.
The motel is within a mile of Johnson Elementary School and Cajon Valley Middle School.
Carr told the court Cantrell suspected the girl was a minor but proceeded to sexually assault her.
When El Cajon Police arrested the two men, they both admitted to the sexual assault. Cantrell also admitted he had a video of the assault.
Cantrell and Inman are both registered sex offenders with GPS-monitored ankle bracelets, according to El Cajon Police Department.
Carr charged Inman with sexual acts with a minor, plus production and possession of child pornography.
Carr argued because of Inman’s extensive sexually violent criminal history against children dating back to the 1970s, plus his recidivism behavior he faces 50 years to life for the sexual acts.
Inman also faces six years for the creation of child pornography.
Cantrell is charged with having sex with a minor, possession of child pornography, and possession of methamphetamine. Cantrell faces a maximum of eight years in prison.
The judge denied bail for Cantrell and Inman, “because of the potential danger they may have on the community,” Carr explained.
“We do have reason to believe that there may be potential other victims at the hands of these two men,” Carr said.
Officials have confirmed a housing voucher program called PATH, paid for Cantrell’s Motel 6 stay for about 5-6 days.
