Hollister
– A Hollister man was sentenced in the San Benito County
Superior Court yesterday to the maximum term allowable in state
prison on three felony counts of rape and child molestation.
Hollister – A Hollister man was sentenced in the San Benito County Superior Court yesterday to the maximum term allowable in state prison on three felony counts of rape and child molestation.
Elias Ruiz, 52, stood silently in black and white prison garb as a court interpreter translated the victim’s mother’s statement and the eventual sentencing into Spanish. San Benito County Superior Court Judge Steven R. Sanders sentenced Ruiz to 11 years and eight months in state prison.
Ruiz had pleaded no contest to one felony count of forced oral copulation, one felony count of forced oral copulation with a person under the age of 18, and one felony count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child aged 14 or 15 years old.
The victim’s mother read a prepared statement before Sanders handed down the sentence.
“It takes a lot of courage, faith and trust in the justice system to come forth,” the victim’s mother said. “My son has faced his fears; now it is time for this predator to face his after invading my son’s innocence for 10 months beginning at the age of 14.”
Andrew Lopez, 19, of Hollister, who is facing 18 years in state prison for the alleged carjacking and stabbing of a rival gang member, was in court yesterday and clapped as the victim’s mother finished her statement and returned to her seat.
District Attorney-Elect Candice Hooper said Ruiz was sentenced to the full extent of the law.
“Nothing can make a victim in these crimes whole,” Hooper said.
Because of the nature of the crimes, Ruiz will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or 10 years, before he is eligible for parole, Hooper said. Ruiz, a native of Jalisco, Mexico, will most likely be deported once paroled or released from prison due to an Immigration and Naturalization Service hold placed on him, Hooper said.
A probation department report stated that Ruiz had been sent to Atascadero State Mental Hospital for evaluation to stand trial. The report stated that Ruiz was found competent.
Sanders handed down the probation department’s recommended sentencing.
“Moreover, he has not expressed an iota of concern for the victim or remorse for his crimes,” the probation department report stated in its sentencing recommendation. “Furthermore, he has forced the court to spend a lot of time and effort with his failed attempt to feign incompetence.”
Ruiz was arrested in February for 20 counts of felony lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, 20 counts of oral copulation with a minor and five counts of sodomy, according to police.
Police were notified of the crimes by the victim’s mother, and after interviewing the victim last week, police arrested Ruiz.
The nature of the relationship between the victim and Ruiz has been withheld in order to protect the victim’s identity, but police told the Free Lance Ruiz knew the victim.
Michael Van Cassell coves public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
