SERIAL CHILD MOLESTER SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE

Defendant Jose DeJesus-Galindo, 43 years old, of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Robert LaForge to 125 years to life, plus life without the possibility of parole. After a month-long jury trial in September, Dejesus-Galindo was found guilty of three felony counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of ten years against one victim, multiple counts of lewd and lascivious act upon a child under the age of fourteen against a second victim, and one more count of lewd and lascivious act upon a child under the age of fourteen for a third victim. The jury also found additional allegations that he inflicted great bodily injury against one victim and that he tied or bound a second victim. All three victims lived in the household with Dejesus-Galindo.

“The jury clearly believed the children and delivered verdicts that denounced the defendant’s despicable actions,” said District Attorney Jill Ravitch. “The victims’ strength in sharing their stories gave the jury and the sentencing judge, the information needed to remove this predator from society. While they can’t erase the horror that was done to them, hopefully this sentence will provide some comfort to them going forward.”

"The charges resulted from an investigation that began in December 2016 when one of the victims, six years old, arrived at a local hospital with vaginal injuries. The investigation determined that the crime had occurred at the family’s home in Santa Rosa and there had been prior occasions of molestation. Charges were filed, and while the case was pending, another victim in 2018 disclosed that Dejesus-Galindo touched her years prior when she was approximately eleven or twelve years old. In 2020, a third victim also disclosed that Dejesus-Galindo had sexually assaulted her weekly around the same time that he was assaulting her sister. All three cases were consolidated and tried together in a single jury trial. Dejesus-Galindo had access to all victims as a family member who resided in the home of two of the victims.

At the sentencing hearing Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl quoted the presentence report by the Probation Department, telling the court that “there are hardly words to describe the inhumane and animalistic behavior, and the level of emotional and physical trauma the defendant inflicted upon three innocent victims. … Regardless of any sanction that may be imposed, there is nothing that can erase this trauma and the impact these victims will likely live with for the rest of their lives.” Judge LaForge agreed and told the defendant that his crimes were “horrible” and that he would sentence him for longer if he could. The court sentenced Dejesus-Galindo to 125 years to life, followed by two terms of life without the possibility of parole.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Ed Crosby. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault Investigations Unit headed the investigation.