FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A convicted child sex offender with ties to the Central Valley is now wanted by authorities after failing to appear for his sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors in El Dorado County say 53-year-old Carl Cacconie was found guilty on six counts of child sexual assault but was allowed to remain out of custody on $1 million bail while awaiting sentencing.
He was ordered to wear an ankle monitor, but officials say he disappeared before his scheduled court date and has not been seen since.
“We’re confident that he’s alive and evading justice at this point and that he has one or more individuals that are assisting him,” said El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson.
Authorities say Cacconie’s wife reported him missing in San Francisco and told investigators he may have left behind a suicide note. However, prosecutors say they do not believe that claim and instead suspect he is actively hiding.
Investigators also say Cacconie has ties to Fresno and previously lived in the area, raising concerns he could be somewhere in the Central Valley.
53-year-old Carl Cacconie, a convicted child predator has vanished from San Francisco, where he was suppose to make a court appearance on Aug. 25, 2025. (El Dorado County District Attorney)
The case has sparked outrage from victims and their families, who say the decision to allow Cacconie to remain free after his conviction put them at risk.
One victim, identified as “Mel,” said she fears for her safety now that he is on the run.
“I feel like my life is in danger because now there’s a predator out there,” she said. “He could be potentially coming for me, coming for my family, retaliating.”
Mel, now 23, testified that the abuse began when she was 11 years old. She said the suspect was her mother’s boyfriend at the time and lived in their home for about a year.
After years of waiting, Mel said she finally felt a sense of justice when a jury convicted Cacconie in July. But that relief was short-lived when he was allowed to remain out on bail.
Prosecutors say they asked the judge to remand Cacconie into custody immediately after the guilty verdict, but that request was denied. A report later revealed that two other judges disagreed with that decision.
“Somebody who has six counts of child molestation should have been remanded into custody,” Pierson said. “I don’t think there’s any question about that.”
Now, investigators are working to locate Cacconie and say anyone helping him evade arrest could face criminal charges.
Mel and her family say they plan to file a formal complaint against the judge and push for legislative changes to prevent similar situations in the future.
“I just hope that it brings a lot of attention to how our justice system let us down,” she said.
The case also included DNA evidence and testimony from another woman who said she was abused by Cacconie as a child in a separate case dating back to 2003.
FOX26 reached out to the El Dorado County Superior Court asking why they believe Carl Cacconie should have been granted bail before sentencing.
In a statement, officials say:
The California Code on Judicial Ethics, canon 3B(9) prohibits judges from making any public comment about a pending case, for example, a case in which sentencing has not occurred, or through any appellate process. Judge McLaughlin, therefore, is unable to comment concerning the case you mentioned.
