A 46-year-old Daly City man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for sexually abusing a child over a period of time. Oscar Arnoldo Cumes-Diaz will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
The sentence was handed down, according to KRON4. Cumes-Diaz had entered a no-contest plea to continuous sexual abuse of a child.
The case involved a report of abuse. Sexual assault forensic medical examinations can provide evidence in such cases.
How San Mateo County Handles Forensic Evidence in Child Abuse Cases
Forensic exams like the one that produced the DNA evidence against Cumes-Diaz are typically conducted at the Keller Center for Family Violence Intervention at San Mateo Medical Center, a nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center that provides services for more than 1,700 victims and families annually, according to the San Mateo County Health Foundation. The center, which opened in 2001, provides medical examinations and forensic interviews and coordinates with law enforcement and prosecutors.
The county works with Victim Services and a Child Advocacy Center to support young victims through prosecution, and in 2025 the county announced plans for a centralized Family Justice Center to bring victim services together under one roof, per Local News Matters. The planned center is intended to bring integrated services for victims together under one roof.
Why the Sentence Runs Well Beyond the Standard Maximum
A conviction under California Penal Code 288.5, the continuous sexual abuse statute, ordinarily carries a maximum term of 16 years. Cumes-Diaz's 24-year sentence is longer than that. The statute requires three or more acts over at least three months, according to the Hedding Law Firm.
California law limits sentence reductions for offenders convicted of violent felony sex crimes. Under Penal Code 2933.1, offenders convicted of violent felony sex crimes must serve at least 85 percent of their total term before becoming parole eligible, according to the Shouse Law Group — a stark contrast to the up-to-50-percent reductions non-violent felony offenders can earn.
California law can require lifetime sex-offender registration for certain continuous child sexual abuse convictions.
A Pattern of Local Prosecutions
The case adds to a string of recent San Mateo County prosecutions involving alleged child abuse in Daly City. Hoodline previously reported on a Daly City case.
Restitution may be ordered in such cases. San Mateo County's Child Advocacy Center framework coordinates forensic evaluation, prosecution, and victim support for families navigating the aftermath of intra-familial abuse.
