In a disturbing case, a 34-year-old man from Costa Mesa, Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, who previously worked as a nanny, has been sentenced to an astonishing 705 years to life in prison, plus an additional two years and eight months.
The Orange County district attorney's office revealed that Zakrzewski was convicted of 34 felonies, including 27 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, two counts of oral copulation by a child under 10, two counts of distributing pornography to a minor, one count of possessing child pornography, one count of using a minor for sex acts, and one count of an attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor.
Zakrzewski, who branded himself as "the original Sitter Buddy" on his website, worked as a professional nanny. Between January 1, 2014, and May 17, 2019, he sexually assaulted the children he was entrusted to care for, often recording the abuse. The victims, who were between 2 and 12 years old, were instructed not to disclose the incidents to their parents.
The investigation began in May 2019 when a Laguna Beach family reported that Zakrzewski had inappropriately touched their 8-year-old son. Subsequently, 16 more victims came forward during the investigation. Prosecutors revealed that Zakrzewski molested 16 boys and showed pornography to the 17th victim.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer condemned Zakrzewski's actions, stating that he had manipulated and taught the children to lie and keep secrets from their parents. Spitzer emphasized the severe impact of the sexual exploitation on the children, describing it as an attempt to "destroy the smallest of souls."
During the sentencing, Zakrzewski made a statement without expressing remorse. "I prided myself on bringing smiles to your children, and all the good times we shared were 100% genuine," he said, according to the district attorney's office.
Many parents reportedly cried and covered their ears as Zakrzewski spoke. The case highlights the horrifying child-abuse perpetrated by someone placed in a position of trust.
