South Gate : Snavely Sentencing Delayed

Sentencing of South Gate Councilman Odell L. Snavely for harboring two teen-age girls at his toy store when he knew they should have been in school has been postponed until Sept. 15.

Municipal Court Commissioner J. Francis Spelman last week allowed Snavely to change lawyers and gave the new attorney, Walter R. Urban, time to acquaint himself with the case.

Snavely pleaded no contest in February to two misdemeanor charges of contributing to the truancy of a minor.

The Sheriff’s Department conducted a six-month investigation of the councilman after two South Gate Junior High School girls, ages 13 and 14, said Snavely touched them on the breasts while they were working at his business.

According to a Sheriff’s Department report, which is part of Snavely’s court file, four girls claimed they had been molested by Snavely, who paid them to help clean his store.

Snavely has denied molesting anyone. He said the girls fabricated the accusations to distract from the theft of some jewelry from his store. He said he threatened to report them for truancy unless they returned the jewelry.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Kenneth Freeman did not object to the continuance. He has recommended that Snavely serve a year in jail and a five-year probation.