Salinas man pleads no contest to 18 counts of child molestation, faces 225 years to life

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)-- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said that a former Salinas resident pleaded no contest to 18 felony counts of child molestation on Tuesday.

Jose Jaramillo, 45, pleaded no contest to 18 counts of sexually assaulting a child, 15 of those counts alleged that force was used.

In 2020, Jane Doe 1 (13-years-old at the time) told Coalinga Police that she was sexually assaulted by Jaramillo the day before in a barn.

An investigation revealed that Jaramillo had sexually assaulted Jane Doe 1, hundreds of times beginning from when she was eight years old.

DNA evidence backed up Jane Doe 1's allegations.

A second victim was uncovered during the investigation and she said that Jaramillo sexually assaulted her when she was a young teenager.

Charges were filed in 2021 against Jaramillo but he used aliases and left California to avoid capture.

He was eventually caught after a few months and was taken back to California.

Jaramillo will receive a mandatory prison sentence of 225 years to life but will be eligible for elder parole in 19 years.

Jaramillo will be forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life if released.