On December 18, 2009, a Tulare County jury convicted 37-year-old Jose Arias Garcia of Visalia of 29 counts of child molest for sexually molesting two female family members. The sexual abuse included sodomy, oral copulation, and masturbation. The children were approximately eight years old when he started to molest them, and he continued to molest them for a number of years.

On January 28, 2010, the Honorable Judge Gerald Sevier sentenced the defendant to serve 289 years to life in prison for his crimes. The defendant was also ordered to pay a $10,000 restitution fine, and must register as a sex offender, if ever released.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Bethany M. Gilliland, and investigated by Detective Rodney Klassen of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and Investigator Gregg White of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

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