GREENFIELD — A Monterey County judge has sentenced Gerardo Silva, a 49-year-old Greenfield resident, to 36 years in prison for committing 15 counts of a lewd act upon a child under 14 years old.
All the offenses are violent felonies and are considered “strikes” under California’s Three Strikes law, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release April 26.
According to the release, the first victim reported that Silva, a family member, had molested her on many occasions for several years. She was under 10 years old at the time it began.
“Jane Doe 1’s brave disclosure to law enforcement, many years after the crime occurred, resulted in two other victims disclosing abuse by Silva,” the DA’s Office said.
The second victim reported that Silva had molested her on one occasion when she was around 8 years old, and the third victim said Silva had molested her on several occasions when she was around 10 years old.
“According to research into sexual assault victim behavior, it is very common for victims to delay reporting the sexual abuse, especially when the victim is a minor and has a close relationship with the perpetrator,” the release concluded.
