VISALIA – A man could be sentenced to over eight centuries behind bars after being found guilty of child molestation for crimes committed between 2007 to 2018.
On Thursday, July 20, in the Visalia Division of the Tulare County Superior Court, a jury found Arthur Pena Alvidrez, 76, of Tulare guilty of 61 counts of child molestation. All crimes occurred in the city of Tulare. His sentencing is set for Aug. 31, Alvidrez faces 888 years-to-life in state prison. Alvidrez will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
“I can say it’s a significantly large case and we’re pleased with the jury’s verdict,” Stuart Anderson, communications director for Tulare County District of Attorney’s Office, said. “The victims showed incredible courage in coming forward and that justice prevailed.”
Of the 61 counts, there were two counts of oral copulation with a child ten years old or younger, one count of sexual penetration with a child ten years old or younger, 34 counts of forcible lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, twenty-one counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen, two counts of lewd act upon a child age 14 and one count of forcible oral copulation of a minor age 14.
The jury also found true the special allegation of substantial sexual conduct and that his crimes were committed against multiple victims. Each count is a serious felony and is considered a strike offense that will require a harsher sentence.
Thirteen of the crimes occurred between Jan. 15, 2012, and Feb. 1, 2018, against a female victim, who was between the ages of seven and thirteen at the time of the sexual assaults.
Thirty-eight of the crimes occurred between Dec. 10, 2008, and Feb. 22, 2018, against a female victim, who was between the ages of five and fourteen at the time of the sexual assaults.
Nine of the crimes occurred between June 4, 2007, and June 3, 2010, against a female victim between the ages of eleven and thirteen at the time of the sexual assaults.
One of the crimes occurred between Jan. 1, 2015, and April 26, 2017, against a female victim, who was between the ages of eleven and thirteen years old at the time of the sexual assaults.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Wayt of the Crimes Against Children Division, and investigated by Sergeant Matt Muller of the Tulare Police Department.
