Child Rapist Receives 31-Year Sentence

Defendant Alejandro Tapia Garcia, 35 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Peter Ottenweller to thirty-one years in state prison following his convictions in August of this year to charges of forcible rape of a child under the age of 14, and two counts of committing a forcible lewd or lascivious act upon a child younger than 14.  

District Attorney Ravitch stated, “This defendant committed acts that without question warrant a prison sentence of this magnitude.  Hopefully the victim and her family can find some measure of relief in the sentence imposed and can begin to work on the healing process.”

The charges resulted from a Santa Rosa Police Department investigation which determined that Tapia Garcia was molesting an 11-year-old child whose mother Tapia Garcia was romantically involved with. During an interview with detectives, Tapia Garcia acknowledged both the type, as well as the frequency of the abuse. The victim’s mother addressed Judge Ottenweller at the sentencing hearing on the child’s behalf, and read a statement in the child’s words. The victim described experiencing nightmares and flashbacks everyday reminding her of the awful things Tapia Garcia had done to her.    

The case against Tapia Garcia was set to go to trial in early August when Tapia Garcia entered into an agreement with the District Attorney’s Office in which he pled no contest, and was found guilty, of three felony offenses for rape of a child younger than 14 and committing a forcible lewd or lascivious act upon a child younger than 14. Per the terms of the agreement Tapia Garcia received the thirty-one years in prison. Focusing on the vulnerability of the victim, how Tapia Garcia’s actions impacted the victim, and Tapia Garcia’s commission of the offenses while in a position of trust, Judge Ottenweller followed the agreement imposing the aggravated prison term for the offenses. Tapia Garcia was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Andrew Lukas, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Ken Pistorio. Detectives Brooke Clark and Tim Raymond of the Santa Rosa Police Department headed the investigation.