Salinas man sentenced to prison after pleading no contest to molesting 9-year-old

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A Salinas man has been sentenced to 38 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14 by use of force, according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.

In February, a mother took her 9-year-old daughter to the hospital when she complained about pain in a private area. The DA's Office said the mother told a mandated reporter during the visit that her daughter told her the night before that a member of the household, 27-year-old Marvin Mejia Aristides Castillo, touched her sexually.

The daughter told the mandated reporter that Castillo had engaged in sexual acts with her 5 or 6 times. The mandated reporter then called the police.

In an initial call, Castillo denied doing anything wrong but eventually said he did engage in sexual acts with the victim 2 or 3 times. During an interview with police later, he denied doing anything wrong at first before admitting to engaging in sexual acts with her 2 or 3 times.

Castillo will be eligible for parole in 23 years, according to the DA's Office, due to changes in the state's elder parole program. The DA's Office said it allows for the early release of inmates who turn 50 years old and have served 20 years in prison. He will be required to register as a sex offender for life when he is released.