Jury convicts man of sexually abusing three children, raping woman
Jury finds man guilty on all 24 counts after 19-day trial
– A San Luis Obispo County jury has convicted Jose Manuel Venturagarcia, 33, of all 24 charges in a case involving the sexual abuse of three children and the rapes of an adult woman, according to a press release from the office of San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow.
The charges included two counts of forcible rape, two counts of forcible sexual penetration, 18 counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 (17 of them by force), criminal threats, and possession of child sexual abuse material. The jury also found true special allegations that the crimes were committed against multiple victims and aggravating factors that a victim was particularly vulnerable and that Venturagarcia held a position of trust and confidence with respect to the victims.
The jury began deliberating at 10:39 a.m. Nov. 3 and returned its verdicts at 2:40 p.m. Nov. 4. The trial lasted 19 days, and 21 witnesses testified. Venturagarcia testified in his own defense. The crimes occurred in Paso Robles between January 2020 and July 2024.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the evidence showed that Venturagarcia sexually abused a young girl in his extended family for more than two years, beginning when she was about 8 years old. The girl disclosed the abuse in July 2024, and her mother then reported that Venturagarcia had also raped her on two occasions, in December 2021 and January 2022. Investigators also connected him to a separate 2023 report in which another young girl said he abused her twice when she was about 9.
Venturagarcia was arrested July 7, 2024. A forensic examination of his cell phone found images of a young boy that formed the basis of one of the lewd-act convictions, along with child sexual abuse material. The case was investigated by the Paso Robles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
“Three children and a young mother in our community lived for years under the control of a man who used force, threats, and fear to keep them silent,” said Dow. “He told them no one would listen. He was wrong. These survivors found the courage to speak, our investigators and prosecutors listened, and this week a jury of twelve citizens unanimously told them: ‘we believe you.’ Nothing can undo what was taken from these victims, but this verdict ensures the man who harmed them will be held fully accountable and will never again be in a position to prey on a child.”
“I am deeply grateful to the jurors, who gave nearly a month of their lives to this trial and listened carefully to evidence that was painful to hear. Their service is what makes our criminal and victim justice system work. I also thank the Paso Robles Police Department and our own District Attorney Senior Investigator Rene Vasquez for a thorough and compassionate investigation, Deputy District Attorney Kalina Laleva for her skilled and steady advocacy, and our Victim Witness team, who walked beside these families every step of the way. To any child or adult who is being hurt by someone they trust: it is not your fault, you will be believed, and you will not stand alone.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 16 in Department 5 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, with Judge Timothy S. Covello presiding. Venturagarcia faces a maximum sentence of 510 years to life plus 3 years and 8 months in state prison. He is not eligible for probation and will be required to register as a sex offender for life. He has been in custody since his arrest and remains held without bail.
Deputy District Attorney Kalina Laleva of the Sexual Assault Prosecution Team prosecuted the case. Victim services were provided by the District Attorney’s Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center.
The District Attorney’s Office said child victims of sexual abuse are never to blame and that help is available. Survivors of sexual assault can receive free, confidential support through the Victim Witness Assistance Center.
Read the full press release from the District Attorney’s Office.
