An Arbuckle man is facing up to 16 years in prison after admitting he sexually abused two young girls on multiple occasions.
Eladio Garcia, 49, on Monday, pleaded guilty to one count of continuous abuse of a child with the aggravating circumstances that there were multiple victims, the children were vulnerable, and that he abused a position of trust.
In exchange for Garcia’s admission, the District Attorney’s Office dropped multiple felony charges and a special allegation or “one strike” provision that could have put him behind bars for 25 years to life.
Colusa County Sheriff’s Office officials arrested Garcia at his mother’s home in Arbuckle on June 22, 2022, after his victims came forward and were interviewed by the Multi-Disciplinary Interview team.
According to testimony at Garcia’s Nov. 16 preliminary hearing, which was used as the factual basis for his admission, Garcia engaged in inappropriate touching and sexual stimulation with the two girls he had access to over a two week period.
Both girls were under 14 years of age when the abuse occurred, officials said.
Garcia, who has remained in custody at the Colusa County Jail since his arrest, will be sentenced on July 24. ■