Three Sentenced in Child-Molestation Case Involving Santa Barbara 12-Year-Old

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By Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @magnoli

Three men have been sentenced in a child-molestation case involving a Santa Barbara girl, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

Santa Barbara police detectives learned about the possible molestation of the victim, and arrested three local men last March.

Authorities learned that the girl, who was 12 at the time, had been molested by a neighbor, said Sgt. Riley Harwood.

She reportedly told Planned Parenthood personnel she had sexual intercourse with a 19-year-old man, which the organization is required to report to law enforcement.

Detective Charlie Katsapis determined that Martin Morales, 19 at the time, had engaged in a sexual relationship with the victim, who considered him to be her boyfriend, Harwood said.

Also charged in the case were Jonathan Mendoza Cisneros, 25 at the time of his arrest, who was sentenced to six months in County Jail this week, and will report to serve his time in April; and Jose David Hernandez-Alecio, 25 at the time of his arrest, who was also accused of child molestation and penetration with a foreign object to a victim under 14 years of age with the suspect greater than 10 years older, according to Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Ladinig.

He was sentenced to serve a year in jail and was deported, Ladinig said.

Morales entered a plea in December to a felony charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is three years younger than a perpetrator.

He was sentenced to 120 days in County Jail, three years of probation, and probation conditions including search and seizure and having no contact with the victim, Senior Deputy District Attorney Lee Carter said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli 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.

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