Ed. note: This story has information that could lead one to identify of the victim. As a policy, KHTS AM-1220 wouldn’t identify the victim of a crime of a sexual nature, unless the individual asked to come forward. In this case, the victim understood the information being reported in the story, and it was discussed with the child’s parent. The mother and the victim’s hope in coming forward and telling their story was to raise awareness about how sexual abuse is a tragically all too common occurence. She is hopeful that telling her story will help raise awareness, encourage others to come forward and advocate for stiffer penalties for such offenses.
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.
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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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“His victim, a Santa Clarita Valley teen whose identity is being withheld because she is a minor,…”
So instead of disclosing her identity, we’ll just give you her initials, her mother’s name, a relative’s name and the name of the new school structure she’s a part of. Just don’t ask us for her name. smh
Hmmmm… Let me guess your related to this pos? Because that’s the only reason.. A bad reason but somewhat reason enough to defend this pos by bashing the mother reporter and victim in this Case? Shame on you!!! Prayers in hoping that this never happens to one of yours… Please don’t breed because clearly if it did your be to blind to see it or even care!!! Jerk!
Way to go LA DA’s office. Another plea for your “win” stats. Sends a great message to victims fearful to come forward. Come forward and let yourself be victimized again!
Sex offenders and child mole stores should spend the rest of their lives in prison. Who is looking out for the children…..certainly not this judge or the DA. I T SHOULDN’T MATTER IS A SEX OFFENDER HAS NO PRIORS!
I totally agree….and big kudos to her mother, whom I happen to know, for supporting an encouraging her beautiful daughter. The biggest FAIL here is the court system!!!! So what if he’s not had any priors. That only means he hasn’t gotten CAUGHT because I’ll bet there are others. FURTHERMORE ONE time is one time too many. I hope he gets popped on the street….he better be looking over his shoulder every single day!!!
Is that all? 213 Days? No wonder why crime in Santa Clarita is rising.
Why do you not give us the name of the judge who provided this Child Molester with such a light sentence so we can vote them OUT OF OFFICE?!?!? 213 for repeatedly molesting a child from the ages of 8 to 14 is RIDICULOUS!!! People serve more time for hurting an animal then an human child. Disgusting and same on this judge. Please give us the name of the judge.
That’s all 213? That’s terrible , so he molested for years and he only gets day? Who is the LAW in favor of , Not the Victim!!!!:/
Verdict needs to be overturned with a harsher sentence. This is not justice whatsoever for the child. There needs to be a community outcry….judge is incompetent, cause anyone in their right mind knows the outcome should have been in the victim’s ruling, not protecting the child molester. Who is this judge, as the article does not mention? Why is the judge’s name withheld? Protected? All the wrong people are protected…..where is the justice? Parents, community, Santa Clarita Valley ought to form a protest on behalf of the child….I am in, let me know how I can help.
Definitely vote out this judge. He is letting others know that they wont do real time of any kind. This is ridiculous! They need to make examples out of this criminals
Thank you everyone for your support! Please don’t hate on the editor for giving my name, her initials ect. It is not his fault at all. Trust is my daughter wanted her whole name printed. She is angry and wants everyone to know her story. She wants to change the way these kind of things are dealt with.She’s held this in for so long and is now fighting with all she’s got. I am sooo proud of her for this. I will tell you that there was another “alleged” victim that my daughter was a witness to but this victim did notcome forward. He also only did 103 days as they gave him 110 credit for “good” time.
Sherry Collins I’m definitely in on your idea and I know all my friends would show!