Convicted Sex Registrant Sentenced to 75 Years to Life for Child Sexual Assault Case
In April 2022, the Novato Police Department was alerted to a child sexual assault case that occurred several years prior.
An NPD Detective specializing in Child Forensic Interviews spoke with the victim, who was 13 years old at the time, and uncovered critical information about the assault. After a thorough investigation, the suspect was identified as Brett Ortiz, who was a Sex Registrant and Novato resident at the time.
During the subsequent investigation, NPD Detectives interviewed additional witnesses and gathered evidence establishing probable cause for an arrest. In June 2022, Ortiz was arrested and booked into the Marin County Jail on four different Child Sexual Assault charges including threats of a crime with intent to terrorize. Ortiz was previously convicted of a lewd or lascivious act upon a child under 14 in Kern County in 1989, failure to register as a Marin County sex offender in 1998, and indecent exposure in Marin County in 1999.
On February 5th, 2025, a jury found Ortiz guilty of all charges. He was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison.
The Novato Police Department is committed to thoroughly investigating sexual assault crimes, particularly those involving children. We express our gratitude to our partners at the Jeanette Prandi Children’s Center and the Marin County District Attorney’s Office for their invaluable support during this case including their assistance to the victim and their family. We also extend our thanks to the victim’s family in this case for their courage, cooperation, and willingness to help.
We encourage all victims of sexual assault to reach out to an officer and file a police report by calling 415-897-4361, as this can play a crucial role in reducing such crimes in our community. Visit novato.org/victimresources for more information.
Additional Victim Resources:
•School Resource Officer: Our School Resource Officer is available to assist with crimes involved our school-aged community. Contact Novato Police at 415-897-4361 to report crimes, especially involving minors.
•Community Violence Solutions: cvsolutions.org/ or by phone: 800-670-7273
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