DA: Tulare man found guilty of over 30 counts of child molestation
Oct 24, 2024
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A Tulare man has been found guilty of more than 30 counts of child molestation, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.
Officials say 34-year-old Joshua Hernandez, was found guilty at the end of a multi-day trial of several acts of child molestation including:
One count of sodomy with a child 10 years of age or younger
Three counts of oral copulation with a child 10 years of age or younger
Eight counts of sexual penetration with a child 10 years of age or younger
19 counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of 14
One count of possession of child or youth pornography
The DA says each count is a felony and 31 of the counts are considered strike offenses.
According to the DA, the crimes were committed against a single female victim who was between the ages of eight and 12 at the time of the sexual assaults. The crimes committed against the victim happened in the City of Tulare between July 1, 2014, and Feb. 28, 2019.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 11, 2024, in the Superior Court where the DA says Hernandez faces over 232 years to life in state prison.
Hernandez will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, according to the DA.