A San Luis Obispo County jury convicted a 33-year-old Paso Robles man on 24 felony counts tied to the sexual abuse of three children and the rape of a young woman, following a 19-day trial and a single day of deliberations. Jose Manuel Venturagarcia was found guilty on Wednesday, with prosecutors saying the abuse unfolded over more than four years and reached victims he knew through family and neighborhood connections.
Prosecutors said the abuse occurred in Paso Robles between January 2020 and July 2024, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office said Venturagarcia knew and had access to the victims through extended family and neighborhood ties, a dynamic prosecutors highlighted throughout the case. Among the victims were a young girl in Venturagarcia's extended family and her mother, as well as a child who lived in his apartment complex, according to KSBY News.
The 24 counts included two counts of forcible rape, two counts of forcible sexual penetration, 18 counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 — 17 of them allegedly committed by force — along with criminal threats and possession of child sexual abuse material, per the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office. The 12-person jury also found special allegations and aggravating factors, including multiple victims and Venturagarcia's position of trust, KSBY reported.
Phone Search Led to Additional Victim
Venturagarcia was arrested in July 2024, and investigators found images of a young boy on his phone; that boy was later determined to be a victim, according to KSBY. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported that the forensic search of his phone took place specifically on July 7, 2024, the date of his arrest. He has remained in custody since then, per the district attorney's office.
District Attorney Dan Dow said in a statement that survivors spoke courageously and that the jury unanimously believed them, according to KSBY's reporting. The case moved through a lengthy trial process before reaching its conclusion this week.
Sentencing Set for December, Maximum Term Disputed
Venturagarcia is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 16 in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Reports differ on the exact maximum sentence he could receive: the Tribune reported he faces a maximum of 510 years to life plus three years and eight months in state prison, while Cal Coast News reported he faces up to 513 years in prison. Prosecutors have said Venturagarcia is not eligible for probation and will be required to register as a sex offender for life, per KSBY.
The San Luis Obispo County Child Abuse Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 805-781-KIDS (5437) or 1-800-834-KIDS (5437). The Lumina Alliance Crisis and Information Line offers free and confidential support to survivors of sexual assault at 805-545-8888, and the District Attorney's Victim Witness Assistance Center can be reached at 805-781-5821.
