The husband of missing Chula Vista mom May “Maya” Millete is now only allowed to speak to his attorney from jail after violating a court order prohibiting him to contact his three children, a judge ruled Wednesday in a South Bay courtroom.
When Larry Millete was arraigned last week, a criminal protective order was issued preventing Millete from contact his three children, who are 5, 10 and 11 years old.
Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles told the court on Wednesday that since his arrest last week, Millete had made 129 phone calls to his parent’s home, where his children are currently living. Some of those phone calls, Bowles said, were just with his kids and some calls were just with his parents.
Bowles said at least nine hours of calls, which were recorded, take place with his children.
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In the calls, Millete mentioned Maya’s family, asked the 11-year-old to read headlines to him and also told two of the children to watch an R-rated film called “Shock Caller” to “understand the environment he is in.” The film is about a well-to-do family man who is jailed for killing and, after a plea deal and becomes a hardened prisoner.
Bowles told the court that the children are “traumatized” and the order filed in court last week was issued in order to prevent them from incurring any additional emotional harm. Bowles’ added that Millete parents were “assisting him in violating the protective order” by letting him speak with them.
Bowles asked the judge to serve Millete a copy of the criminal protective order making it clear that no phone calls, emails, visits, or conversations to the children are allowed through the parents.
Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio said she “read it word for word” to Millete when the order was issued last week. Millete and his defense attorney, Bonita Martinez, told D'Addezio, however, that he never received a document and because the names of his children weren’t read in court, which was done to protect their identities, he was unaware he was prohibited from speaking with them.
May ‘Maya’ Millete Disappearance
More on Larry Millete’s arrest.
The judge then spoke to Millete directly calling the directive an “order” and not a “suggestion or request.”
“I don’t for a minute believe you didn’t understand who I was talking about, but just to be sure, I’m going to ask that a copy of that protective order be handed to you here in open court,” D’Addezio said.
The judge wrapped up the hearing after declaring that Millete's phone privileges were now limited exclusively to speaking with his attorney because he “violated them blatantly and multiple times.”
The 40-year-old Eastlake man is accused of the killing of the 39-year-old mother of his three children after she sought a divorce, according to San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan. His detainment followed nine months of countless search efforts from volunteers and a lengthy investigation from law enforcement personnel.
Millete pleaded not guilty last week at his first court appearance in the case. He also faces a second charge relating to the alleged illegal possession of an assault rifle.
He remains held without bail, but a bail hearing is set for Nov. 4. Prosecutors allege that if released, Millete would pose a risk to the community, as well as to his children, and that he also represents a flight risk.
The Disappearance of May 'Maya' Millete
The disappearance of May “Maya” Millete has gripped San Diego County since she was last seen nine months ago.
Maya, 39, was last seen by her family at her home on Paseo Los Gatos at around 5 p.m. on Jan. 7, two days before the family was set to travel on a planned trip to Big Bear for her daughter’s birthday. Maya has three children. Investigators said Maya has not answered phone calls or text messages since Jan. 7.
Family and friends said that after her disappearance, Maya’s car was still at her home, but phone calls went straight to her voicemail.
The Drouaillets were indefatigable in their efforts to locate Maya throughout 2021.
“We feel so helpless and also so desperate for answers,” Drouaillet told NBC 7 in February.
