A man convicted of nine counts of child molestation involving several female family members was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, according to the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office.
Jose Raya-Hernandez, 42, was sentenced in Santa Barbara Superior Court to 158 years to life for committing nine acts of child molestation on three victims in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
Deputy District Attorney Ben Ladinig, who prosecuted the case against Raya-Hernandez, commended the victims for coming forward to testify during the trial.
“Without the bravery of the three young ladies who heroically testified against a family member, the defendant would never have been brought to justice,” Ladinig said. “The verdict and sentence are a testament to the victims in this as well as other victims of child molestation.”
The jury in the case found Raya-Hernandez guilty on nine counts of child molestation and a multiple victim enhancement, and District Attorney Joyce Dudley said that the county Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office worked with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office in allowing the crimes committed in the city of Ventura to be prosecuted in Santa Barbara County.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
Comments
