A San Mateo County jury convicted 39-year-old Wilfredo Juan Colins of raping and continuously molesting his niece, and he was sentenced this week to 17 years in prison. The abuse began when the victim was 12 and involved conduct in Fremont, Hayward and Pacifica over several years.
Colins was found guilty in May of rape, continuous molestation of a child and assault with intent to rape, according to KRON4. The abuse began in Fremont between September 2018 and March 2021 and continued after the family moved to Hayward and Pacifica, according to Peninsula Buzz. Prosecutors said the conduct escalated in 2022, when Colins forcibly raped and repeatedly strangled the victim.
Abuse Crossed County Lines Before Arrest
The investigation involved conduct reported in both Alameda and San Mateo counties. Pacifica police detectives placed Colins under surveillance with assistance from the Fremont Police Department and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. Reports differ on the timing of his arrest: Patch reported that he was arrested March 23, 2023, and initially booked under $1.475 million bail using the alias Juan Walfredo Colin Mixtuna, while Peninsula Buzz reported an arrest in January 2023.
The abuse was reported to Pacifica police in October 2022 after the victim told her mother about it, according to Peninsula Buzz. The report followed changes in the victim's mood and declining grades that had concerned her parents.
Support for Families Affected by Abuse
According to the California State Auditor, county agencies are responsible for investigating reports of child neglect and abuse and taking steps to protect children. The information reviewed for this article does not include comparable case totals for San Mateo and Alameda counties or California overall. The San Mateo County District Attorney's Victim Services Division provides victims and their families with support, case information, court assistance and referrals to community resources. In Alameda County, the Family Justice Center connects victims of sexual assault, child abuse and other interpersonal violence with 30 onsite and more than 50 offsite agencies and programs.
Father Addresses Court, Sentence Includes Custody Credit
At the September sentencing hearing, the victim's father asked Judge Sharon Cho to impose the maximum sentence and described the impact of the abuse on the family, according to a statement relayed by San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Wagstaffe said Colins received a 17-year sentence but had accumulated about four years, or 1,466 days, of good-time credit while in custody. Colins was also ordered to have no contact with the victim for 10 years and to register as a sex offender for life, according to KRON4.
What the Continuous Abuse Charge Means Under State Law
The conviction included continuous molestation of a child. The court also ordered Colins to register as a sex offender for life.
Judge Cho, who presided over the sentencing, handles felony criminal proceedings in Redwood City, according to the San Mateo County Superior Court.
The case involved an intra-familial abuse disclosure that led to a report to Pacifica police.
