By Nancy Aviña
SACRAMENTO – A 58-year-old former Sacramento radio personality and former park and recreation assistant youth basketball coach, Gregory Kosanke, was resentenced to prison here in Sacramento County Superior Court Friday.
Kosanke was originally arrested in December of 2018 on two counts of sexual assault and sentenced to six years in prison.
But, while awaiting sentencing, Kosanke was arrested shortly afterward for four more felony charges. This arrest was made on two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor child under the age of 14.
Superior Court Judge Ernest Sawtelle was direct at the start of the hearing.
“Almost every crime you can think of, you can wrap your mind around it. You can understand it on some level. The one crime that is really impossible to understand is why someone would violate a child. It doesn’t make any sense; I can’t make any sense of it,” he said.
Since several victims had come forward, the defendant faced resentencing by the judge. Two of these victims included Kosanke’s best friend’s children.
Additionally, Deputy District Attorney Nancy Cochrane stated, “He also did it to his best friend’s daughters… Mr. Kosanke’s betrayal was the worst. He has been conniving, he’s manipulated everyone through his denials. ‘I never touched those girls, it’s all a lie. It’s a witchhunt. They’re out to get me.’ Who is out to get Mr. Kosanke? His best friend?”
The best friend of Kosanke had originally written a statement vouching for the character of Kosanke. After hearing the news of what happened to their children, alongside other children, he revoked the statement.
Additionally, before sentencing Kosanke, the judge stated, “What number would be the right number that can make things better? I don’t think there would be a right number that can make things right. I will say that I’ll sentence him to what was agreed upon…
“Mr. Kosanke has really ravaged the lives of many people as it has been seen through these reports and perhaps there are others out there that we will never know about,” the judge added.
Prosecutor Cochrane noted, “He’s gonna go to prison and get out and it will be a rueful day for the next neighborhood that Mr. Kosanke moves into.”
Then the defendant was re-sentenced by Judge Sawtelle to a total sentence of eight years.
Kosanke additionally would be a registered sex offender in any city or county that he resides in, and would pay a restitution fee to the victim’s compensation board of an amount to be determined.
Nancy is a third-year Communication and Political Science – Public Service Double Major at the University of California, Davis, originally from Morgan Hill, California.
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