A convicted child sex offender in California has vanished after a judge allowed him to post bail, sparking outrage from prosecutors and the victim's family.
Conviction and Bail Decision
On July 17, 2025, Carl Cacconie, 51, was found guilty of six felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on an 11-year-old girl in El Dorado County. The offenses occurred between 2014 and 2015. Despite the conviction, Judge Michael McLaughlin set bail at $1 million, which Cacconie posted. He was released from the South Lake Tahoe Courthouse and ordered to return for sentencing on August 25, 2025, where he faces up to 18 years in prison.
Ankle Monitor Malfunction
The El Dorado County Probation Department had fitted Cacconie with an ankle monitor in 2023. However, on August 17, 2025, the device disconnected on Taraval Street in San Francisco, according to a court-filed report obtained by KCRA 3. The probation department did not contact Cacconie until August 19, when he claimed he was merely charging the device. He was directed to visit a Bay Area office to fix it, but he never complied.
On the day of his sentencing, Cacconie's family reported him missing. Interim Chief Probation Officer Kaci Smith acknowledged delays in response, stating, "Probation does not have 24/7 monitoring of electronic devices or 24/7 response. The use of these devices on individuals outside of our geographical jurisdiction creates disadvantages." She added, "The department recognizes we could have pursued additional follow-up with the client to ensure he had secured a new/working device."
Criticism and Family Claims
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson harshly criticized the judge's decision to grant bail. "To expect that a person on $1 million bond, who has now been convicted, that merely adding an ankle monitor, which can be easily cut off, adds any real assurance to bringing him back to court, it's kind of folly," Pierson said. "This is a county that prides itself on holding people accountable. And, unfortunately, that's so far not what has happened."
Cacconie's family claims he left a suicide note, but prosecutors believe he is still alive and evading authorities. The victim, now an adult, described her ordeal: "He's a monster, and he took away my innocence." Another witness testified that Cacconie molested her in the early 2000s when she was a child.
Authorities continue to search for Cacconie, who remains at large.
