On August 25, 2009, Tulare County Superior Court Judge James Hollman imposed a sentence of 21 years and 4 months in prison on 27-year-old John Pete Bracamontes of Visalia for crimes committed in 2008. The defendant met the victim at a Visalia movie theatre when she was 14 years old and engaged in a sexual relationship with the girl.

The defendant posted bail but failed to appear in court in August of 2008. The defendant’s roommate called the police to report that the defendant was missing and that there were signs of fowl play on the day that the defendant was supposed to appear in court for his preliminary hearing. The defendant and his roommate were located together in March of 2009 in Mexico.

On July 14, 2009 the defendant pled no contest to 4 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child age 14 or 15, 1 count of possession of child pornography, and 1 count of willfully failing to appear while out on bail. The defendant also admitted a special allegation for inflicting great bodily injury on the victim (she became pregnant).

Defendant pled to one violent felony and must serve 85% of his 21 year and 4 month sentence before being released on parole. The defendant was also ordered to pay a $5,000 restitution fine, to register as a sex offender under Penal Code section 290, to submit to AIDS testing under Penal Code section 1202.1, and to provide DNA samples under Penal Code section 296.

The defendant’s roommate, Patricia Renteria, 29, attempted to hide evidence that linked the defendant to the victim. She helped the defendant by calling the police to report him missing when he fled to Mexico, and was in Mexico with the defendant when he was arrested. Patricia Renteria pled no contest to a felony violation of being an accessory after the fact on April 23, 2009. She was sentenced by Judge Gary Paden on August 18, 2009, to 45 days in jail and felony probation for 3 years. A term of her probation is that she have no further contact with John Bracamontes.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Bethany M. Gilliland and investigated by Detective Leroy Hickey of the Visalia Police Department, as well as Investigator Gregg White of the District Attorney’s Office.

Contact Person: Assistant District Attorney, Shani Jenkins, (559) 733-6411.