Gardena "Honors"

The Daily Breeze compiled a list of the top 10 stories of 2008. Gardena made it to the list, regrettably.

The South Bay's Top 10 stories of 2008
By Josh Grossberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/27/2008 11:13:49 PM PST

From a marathon presidential election to a faltering economy, 2008 proved to be a year rife with important news. Here is an excerpt. For the rest of the story, go to The Daily Breeze.

FALL FROM GRACE

Former Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano was arrested March 13 on charges of child molestation, two days after he resigned from the council, citing health reasons.

Prosecutors filed 12 felony counts against the jewelry store owner, arguing that he forced a girl to engage in sexual acts beginning when she was 9 years old until she was 15.

Medrano initially pleaded not guilty, and his attorney argued that the girl made up the allegations.

But on June 27, he pleaded no contest to one count of committing lewd and lascivious acts on a minor and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.

The 47-year-old was sentenced to eight years in state prison.