The San Mateo County District Attorney's office announced yesterday that former high school track coach Italu Arbulu was denied parole and will not have another three-year hearing. According to the San Mateo County District Attorney's X post, Arbulu, who was convicted in 2005 of molesting seven students and received a 180-year prison sentence, was taken into custody by the San Mateo Police Department after an extensive investigation.
Italu Arbulu (71) was denied parole yesterday & denied another hearing for 3 years, convicted in 2005 of molesting 7 high school students while serving as their track coach following an extensive investigation & arrest by @SanMateoPD. He will resume his 180 year sentence. pic.twitter.com/CFGYQkAHtf
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) October 3, 2024
In a document obtained by East Bay Times, the impact of Arbulu's actions was depicted through the anguished testimonies of their parents during his trial. One mother relayed the shattering effect on her son, saying, "He was assaulted on his person, his body and his spirit and he will literally live with this for the rest of his life." Parents expressed feelings of shame and guilt, wondering how the abuse by someone they saw as a mentor, someone they trusted to be a part of their sons' upbringing, could go unrecognized for so long and the long-term consequences that lay ahead for their children.
During the sentencing, San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Craig Parsons acknowledged the severity of Arbulu's crimes, explaining that his decision to impose a sentence that would incarcerate Arbulu for life reflected the multiple offenses over several years, stating he is likely to re-offend if released. Arbulu, who also coached soccer in Burlingame, sat through the sentencing without making a statement himself, choosing instead to listen to the heart-rending stories shared by the victims' parents.
Defense attorney Geoff Carr expressed sympathy for the families affected but criticized the length of the sentence, suggesting a disparity in punishment, stating via East Bay Times, "Something is wrong with a society that would give a sex offender the same punishment as a serial murderer." Although he comprehended the significance of the sentence, he argued for the possibility of parole when Arbulu would reach retirement age. However, his arguments were met with the firm conviction of both the prosecutor and the judge that the risk posed by Arbulu remained too great.