SP man sentenced to 12 years for continuous sexual abuse of child
September 03, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A Santa Paula sought for suspicion of lewd acts on a child who led police on a March vehicle pursuit that reached Orange and San Diego counties was sentenced last week for sexually abusing a little girl over a 5-year period.
Marvin Arnoldo Duarte Garcia, 34, was sentenced August 26 to 12 years in state prison to a single felony count of continuous sexual abuse.
The maximum sentence was 16 years in state prison, but Garcia received the lighter term because he pleaded guilty before the case went to trial.
In March, the SPPD tried to contact and arrest Garcia but he fled the city.
A statewide alert was issued after SPPD Investigators discovered Garcia had learned officers were attempting to contact him and he fled the area with two small children.
A coordinated effort between the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the SPPD resulted in a CHP officer locating Garcia driving the vehicle south on Interstate 5 in the southern portion of Orange County.
The CHP officer attempted to stop the vehicle, however Garcia failed to stop and the pursuit entered San Diego County.
But, during the chase Garcia lost control of his vehicle and was involved in a traffic collision and he fled from the scene on foot.
Garcia was arrested as he fled into a lagoon with the help of an Oceanside Police Department
Garcia was arrested for several felonies, including reckless evading a peace officer, resisting a peace officer, leaving the scene of a traffic collision, and several crimes relating to illegal sexual acts with a child under the age of 14 years.
The small children were located in Ventura County at relatives, where Garcia had dropped them off before he fled the area.
Prosecutors said the abuse started when Garcia’s victim, a girl, was 8 years old and continued for 5 years.
