Man sentenced to prison for making threats against juvenile family member in Salinas

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A Stockton man has been sentenced to four years in prison for felony child abuse.

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said 32-year-old Mariano Castro, Jr. pleaded no contest to the charges related to allegations that he threatened a juvenile member of his immediate family.

Salinas police responded to the victim's home in Salinas just after midnight on Nov. 7, 2020, and said they found Castro acting in a disruptive way outside the home. When they spoke to the victim, they found out that Castro had made threats to the victim, including threats that he would rape her and that other members of the family would have to kill him to prevent it from happening.

Police said some of the threats were recorded by the victim, and other family members backed up her allegations. Officers also found out that Castro made similar threats the day before.

Witnesses told police that the victim was visibly upset by the threats and that they feared for her safety.