Former Costa Mesa nanny sentenced to more than 700 years in prison for molesting boys in his care
A Costa Mesa man and former nanny convicted of molesting or showing pornography to 17 young boys in his care was sentenced Friday to more than 700 years in prison, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office .
Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 34, was convicted last month of 34 crimes, including 27 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, two counts of oral copulation by a child under 10, two counts of distribution of pornography to a minor, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of using a minor for sexual purposes and one count of attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor.
The victims were aged between 2 and 12 years old.
Zakrewski’s total sentence was 705 years to life, plus two years and eight months, prosecutors said.
Zakrzewski worked as a professional nanny, billing himself as “the original Sitter Buddy” on his website. Between January 1, 2014 and May 17, 2019, Zakrzewski sexually assaulted the children he was hired to watch, often filming the abuse, according to prosecutors. He would ask the children not to tell their parents about his actions.
Zakrzewski was first reported to authorities in May 2019, when a Laguna Beach family told police he inappropriately touched their 8-year-old son. During the investigation, 16 additional victims came forward.
Prosecutors said Zakrzewski molested 16 of the boys and showed pornography to the 17th.
In a statement, Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said Zakrzewski’s actions robbed 17 children of their innocence.
“Children are not born knowing how to lie, but this master manipulator taught these very young children to lie and keep secrets from their own parents,” Spitzer said. “The sexual exploitation of children aims to destroy the smallest of souls. »
In a statement read at the sentencing, Zakrzewski did not apologize for his actions, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“I am proud to bring smiles to your children and all the good times we shared were 100% genuine,” he said, according to the office statement.
Prosecutors said several parents cried and covered their ears as he spoke.
