Santa Rosa serial child molester sentenced to 125 years to life

A Santa Rosa man convicted last month of multiple sex crimes against child relatives was sentenced Tuesday to 125 years to life in prison and life without the possibility of parole.

Jose DeJesus-Galindo, 43, was described by authorities as a “serial child molester.” Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Robert LaForge, who handed down the sentence, told DeJesus-Galindo his crimes were “‘horrible’ and that he would sentence him for longer if he could,” according to a news release from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office.

DeJesus-Galindo had initially been accused of molesting a 6-year-old relative. An investigation into that incident began in 2016, when the child was taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries.

DeJesus-Galindo was charged in that incident, officials said.

But in 2018, as that case was still making its way through the court system, a second person came forward and accused DeJesus-Galindo of touching her during incidents that took place years earlier — when she was about 11 or 12. And, in 2020, a third person accused DeJesus-Galindo of sexually assaulting her weekly — around the same time he was assaulting her sister, according to the prosecutor’s office.

All three cases were consolidated and tried together in a monthlong trial in September, officials said.

Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl, who prosecuted the case, said Tuesday “there are hardly words to describe (DeJesus-Galindo’s) inhumane and animalistic behavior.”

Ultimately, a Sonoma County jury convicted DeJesus-Galindo of three felony counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 for the first victim; multiple counts of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under the age of 14 for the second victim; and another count of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under the age of 14 for the third victim.

The jury also believed additional allegations that DeJesus-Galindo had inflicted great bodily injury against one victim and that he had tied or bound a second victim. All three victims lived in the household with him.

“The jury clearly believed the children and delivered verdicts that denounced the defendant’s despicable actions,” Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch added. “While (the victims) can’t erase the horror that was done to them, hopefully this sentence will provide some comfort to them going forward.”

You can reach Staff Writer Kathleen Coates at kathleen.coates@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5209.