Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison

Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Sidney Russell, age 64, to 75 years-to-life in prison for child molestation.

On May 17, 2022, a jury convicted Russell of two felony counts of forcible lewd act upon a child under the age of 14. The court further found true that Russell possessed prior strike offenses for violent sex crimes.

The crime was committed in July 2020 against a single minor female under the age of 14.

In 1992, Russell was convicted of raping two separate adult victims, kidnapping, and other violent sex crimes. The crimes occurred in Visalia. He was sentenced to 27 years in state prison, and was paroled in mid-2005 after serving less than half of his sentence. Upon his release, Russell registered as a lifetime sex offender. In 2019, Russell was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery and served a local jail sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Kelly Habroun of the TCDA Crimes against Children Division and was investigated by the Visalia Police Department.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494