[KHTS] – A Santa Clarita man pleaded no contest to a child molestation charge Monday, receiving a 213-day sentence and five years probation, prompting frustration and anger from a now-14-year-old victim.
Jose Ramon Arroyave, 74, of Canyon Country, was initially charged with three different sexual crimes against a minor, involving a teenage girl, according to an official with the District Attorney’s Office.
Arroyave also was ordered register as a convicted sex offender, ordered to pay a fine of $370 to a victim compensation fund and stay 100 yards from his victim.
He was arrested in July, and he’s been in custody since. He’s expected to get credit for time served and to be released today, officials said.
“He had no prior criminal records,” said Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office. “Given the facts of the case, it was determined that this was an appropriate disposition.”
The defendant’s age and lack of a criminal record were factors, he said.
The victim lived across the street from Arroyave when the charges occurred, according to the victim’s mother.
His victim, a Santa Clarita Valley teen whose identity is being withheld because she is a minor, said Monday she was upset by the situation, the effects it had on her friendship and the response from the District Attorney’s Office.
The crimes took place when the victim, whom we’ll identify as M.P., was 8 years old to 11 years of age, according to the victim’s mother, Jaime Pulido.
M.P. came forward after a conversation with Pulido in July, when the mother realized something was wrong, but she wasn’t sure what until she asked.
“I was holding it in for a really long time,” M.P. said, who was upset in part because she knew she was not the only victim.
M.P. contacted her friend who was a teenage daughter of Arroyave, but her friend at the time has since told M.P. “to kill herself” after M.P. came forward with her story.
Detectives accused Arroyave of “ongoing lewd acts with a minor” and two counts of lewd conduct upon a minor, according to officials with the Special Victims Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He pleaded to one of the counts of lewd conduct.
An ongoing lewd act is described as: “Any person who either resides in the same home with the minor child or has recurring access to the child, who over a period of time, not less than three months in duration, engages in three or more acts of substantial sexual conduct with a child under the age of 14 years at the time of the commission of the offense, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1203.066,” according to the state’s penal code.
The victim’s mother said she’s proud of her daughter for coming forward, and hopes it will help others, as well as encourage more stringent laws for these types of sexual abuse.
“She agreed to do it in hopes of protecting her friends,” Pulido said, regarding her daughter’s coming forward. “She hasn’t been able to focus on getting her own issues dealt with, because her concern has been with the friend.”
Friends have teased her when she tried to talk about it in school, prompting the mother to transfer her out of her old high school and into Opportunities For Learning, Pulido said.
The whole experience has shaken her belief in the criminal justice system, Pulido said.
“She’s to that point where she’s not afraid to tell anybody what happens,” said Jaime Pulido, of Santa Clarita. “She just doesn’t want it to happen to anybody else.”
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48 Comments
Sounds likes a slap on the wrist to me. Not even a year? They should have cut it off so he does not do it again.
Wow that is awful , he better be far away from Santa Clarita!!!!!
Crazy someone stealing a car gets more time then a child molester . Our justice system is crap!!!!
Are you frikken kidding me? People go to prison for upwards of 15 years for tax evasion this guy molests a child and gets less than one year? He better be thankful it’s not my child he would not breathe the same air as me when he got out. This poor family.
We can always skin him alive ……. Just putting it out there !!!!
Off with his head!
Hang him!!!!
That’s it? Wow…
213 days for molesting a kid??? The poor child is scared for life and in less than a year this scumbag can try it again. What’s wrong with this system???
Pathetic
Really ? That’s it!!! This is what’s wrong with this country #stupidsystem
If he’d abused an animal he would have gotten a harsher sentence.
What bs
Punishments like this only continue to show what a disgrace our justice system really is!! And what a joke these judges are!!!
Pathetic!!! These judges should be ashamed of themselves!!! I hope they see every one of these victims faces when they lay their heads down at night!!!
Absolutely disgusting and horrible!! The victim should be proud of herself for coming forward. It’s heartbreaking that her peers could behave that way towards her. Keep moving forward sweetie!! You are a brave girl and you will prevail!!
Wow!
Why did the now 14 year old wait so fu ck in long to report it??????? Wtf is wrong with people
Jim, victims of this crime are usually afraid or too ashamed to tell anyone.
At least show what he looks like so the streets can take him.
He got less than a year probably because he’s 74 years old.
And yes, i don’t care how old they are…
Child molesters should die some painful crazy way.
Maybe send them on a flight and throw them out with no parachute? Lol
It’s unbelievable.
Our court system goes easy on child molesters. A lot of D.A.s just want to see the win on their record and go lenient on the often times. Especially for first time offenders.
In some cases the defendants have more rights than the victims do especially if the victim is a child.
WTF? 213 days? 2/3s of a year? Creepy old crap. 14 yo old scarred for life. California sucks. Stupid effing liberals!
Burn in hellJose
Not even a year ?! We need a new judge!!
And this is how first time offenders get the opportunity to be second time offenders. Terrible justice.
He plead no contest? That means they took a deal, no trial. No child should have to go through a trial to get justice and a decent sentence for their abuser. Maybe Gen pop will molest him
She is proud of herself, she has had amazing support from her family. I am very proud of her. She wants others to know that it’s ok to talk about it.
Should be more time in jail so he can get molested.
Prayers
Here is a picture of the sick a $$hole that did this to my beautiful brave strong loving niece
And this molester is wearing a Golden Valley High School shirt!!!! I’m sick to my stomach over this whole thing!!!
Drug users get longer
Sheri Farnham my prayers for your niece may karma show this man his karma quickly because 213 days isn’t even a slap on the wrist
Teri cuadros he did less then 100 days he was arrested on July 13 the judge doesn’t known how to count thank for your prayers my niece is a very strong person but prayers are always good so thank you again
I’ll probably get 213 days for suggesting this … Ballot proposal… Child molesters are hung and lit on fire in public.
BS.
You’re withholding the name of the victim but you’re printing her mom’s name and her age? Think it’ll take much time for most of her peers to figure out her identity?
To Perry Smith, writer:
It’s desireable and reasonable to keep this child’s name confidential. Yet you call her M.P. and then identify her mother with the same last initial. Are you just a “careless” writer or are you trying to be a clever reporter? I’d say “UNPROFESSIONAL.”
213 days!! Are f**king kidding me. He took away that child innocence, and got away with it.
This upsets me soooo much! I swear that f**king old balls. Lucky that wasn’t my child. After he gets out. Eye for eye… a tooth for a tooth.
This is so wrong what happened to protecting the victim???
There are so many judges out there that Have forgotten what true justice is, the whole system needs to be redone!!
Unbelievable . Shoplifters get more time. Is this judge fit to sit on the bench
WTG SCVnews.com – we needed to learn about the story, but we don’t need to learn the girl’s last name or where she attends school ESPECIALLY IF SHE’S BEING BULLIED FOR COMING FORWARD!
Omg I think this guy is wearing a golden valley high school shirt. I pray that staff at golden valley have seen this and know his face and keep a out for him around there school.. Sheri Farnham tell you niece continue to be strong and there’s a lot of people who care for her pray for her and wish her the best future.
And we put awsy first time drug offenders longer…wth