Monterey County man pleads guilty to forcible child molestation

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County District Attorney's office says a man has pleaded guilty to three counts of forcible child molestation.

The man, 40-year-old Leonel Hurtado, now faces 25 years in prison.

The first victim reported that Hurtado, a family member, molested her several times over the course of several years. She was under the age of 13 at the time, and she first reported the molestation by writing a letter to her school counselor describing her fear of Hurtado.

After the first victim reported the molestation, a second victim reported that Hurtado had also molested her several times over the course of several years. She was also under the age of 13 when the molestation began.

In addition to prison time, Hurtado will be required to register as a sex offender for life when he is sentenced on June 29.