Santa Rosa man given 31-year prison term for rape of girl, 11

A Santa Rosa man was handed a 31-year prison term after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting and molesting the 11-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend, Sonoma County District Attorney's officials said.

Alejandro Tapia Garcia, 35, admitted to committing forcible rape of a child and two counts of lewd or lascivious acts upon a child in a plea agreement with prosecutors, officials said. Prosecutors said he acknowledged both the type and frequency of the abuse during the Santa Rosa police investigation.

In an emotional sentencing hearing Thursday before Judge Peter Ottenweller, the girl's mother read a statement written by the girl describing her 'nightmares and flashbacks every day reminding her of the awful things Tapia Garcia had done to her,' according to the District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Jill Ravitch said the sentence fits the magnitude of the crimes Tapia Garcia committed against the child.

'Hopefully the victim and her family can find some measure of relief in the sentence imposed and can begin to work on the healing process,' Ravitch said in a statement.

Tapia Garcia will have to register as a sex offender.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.