Trial setting paused for Solano man charged with child molestation

Pending the outcome of a mental competency report, a Solano County Superior Court judge on Monday suspended criminal proceedings against Jack R. Adams, a 76-year-old Solano man accused of being a child molester.

Judge Carlos R. Gutierrez vacated a trial-setting date for Adams and called for a so-called “1368 doctor’s report,” an evaluation by a psychiatrist of psychologist about a defendant’s ability to understand the charges and aid in his or her defense, at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24 in Department 9 of the Justice Center in Fairfield.

Under state law, specifically Penal Code section 1368, the report’s namesake, a defendant who is considered unable to help in his or her defense or understand court proceedings cannot be tried. However, once they are deemed competent, criminal charges can be reinstated and the defendant can be scheduled to face more court proceedings, including a jury trial.

Gutierrez’s decision is the second doctor’s report ordered in the case, the first called for on March 16, 2020, according to court records. After Gutierrez reviewed the report, criminal proceedings were reinstated on June 20.

Adams is represented by Sacramento-based attorney Adam Weiner, but court records do not indicate why the attorney questioned his client’s mental competency.

Deputy District Attorney Becky Self leads the prosecution.

Court records indicate the defendant was arrested on July 7, 2017, and charged with more than 10 felony counts. Besides sex with a child under 10 or younger, they include at least seven counts of lewd acts on a child; sending explicit sexual matter to a minor; preventing or dissuading a witness from attending or giving testimony.

Adams, according to court documents, posted $1 million in bail on Sept. 21, 2017, and apparently was released from custody. Solano County Jail records on Monday confirmed he was not in custody. He was held to answer for the allegations on April 10, 2018.

If found guilty of all the charges at trial, Adams may spend the rest of his life in prison.