Former Santee car-restoration shop owner Joshua Cantor was ordered yesterday in an El Cajon courtroom to serve 23 years and four months in state prison after a jury convicted him on more than a dozen counts tied to sex acts with minors. Prosecutors said the 46-year-old molested two girls, and courtroom observers reported that Cantor repeatedly interrupted the victims during their impact statements until the judge had him removed.
Long sentence follows jury verdict
An El Cajon jury found Cantor guilty on more than a dozen counts, setting the stage for a lengthy sentence. At the hearing, Superior Court Judge Daniel Lamborn described him as “a continuous danger to the community and to young girls in the community.” As reported by the Times of San Diego, the judge also rejected Cantor’s attempt to pause the case on a claim of mental incompetence. Prosecutors told the court that Cantor first ingratiated himself with families, then groomed and manipulated minors to gain access to them.
Victim won civil judgment
One of the victims later took Cantor to civil court and, in July 2024, a judge awarded her more than $1.54 million in damages, according to local reporting. Maria Severson, the victim’s attorney, told the Times of San Diego that “His despicable conduct leaves a lifetime impression on his victims.” The civil complaint alleged that Cantor used the teen’s interest in cars to get close to her, sexually assaulted her multiple times and took nude photographs.
Court filings outline alleged grooming and evidence
State and federal filings state that investigators uncovered encrypted communications, explicit images and allegations that Cantor maintained a “secret room” at his Santee workshop where he allegedly photographed girls. A Casemine order reviewing the state record noted a nude photo recovered from Cantor’s phone along with other evidence cited by prosecutors at trial, and discussed those details in a later habeas proceeding. The filings show the criminal case moving through a series of pretrial motions and hearings before it finally reached trial.
Legal notes…