Former sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Rodrigues, who was sentenced
Friday to a prison term of 60 years to life for raping three women
between 1999 and 2006, has filed a notice of appeal with the San
Benito County Courthouse. In the meantime, Rodrigues has been
transported to Delano State Prison, which is a reception point from
which he will be assigned to a permanent prison.
Former sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Rodrigues, who was sentenced Friday to a prison term of 60 years to life for raping three women between 1999 and 2006, has filed a notice of appeal with the San Benito County Courthouse.
With the sentence handed down last week, Rodrigues would be well over the age of 100 at first glance of parole eligibility. His defense attorney, Art Cantu, filed the one-page notice today. From here, local court officials will notify the 6th Appellate District, which has a panel of public defenders it uses to assign convicts such as Rodrigues, Cantu said.
Rodrigues, a 25-year veteran of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, was convicted on four counts of rape by a jury Sept. 24. Judge Alan Hedegard at Friday’s hearing ruled that a provision in the law required him to run the sentences consecutively instead of concurrently, which would have allowed parole eligibility in 15 years.
In the meantime, Rodrigues has been transported to Delano State Prison, which is a reception point from which he will be assigned to a permanent prison. Cantu noted how the process generally takes 45 to 90 days.
With a public defender assigned to Rodrigues throughout his local proceedings, San Benito County taxpayers will have to take on that additional burden. County Management Analyst Catherine Shaw noted how a final estimate of the cost should be available next week.
Below is video from the Rodrigues sentencing:
