Man convicted of raping SLO County teen is sentenced to long prison term
Editor’s note: This story describes sexual assault.
A man convicted of raping a 17-year-old in Nipomo received the maximum sentence Thursday, court records show.
A jury convicted Florentino Marcelino Ramonsantiago, 30, of forcible rape causing bodily injury on Nov. 3 after a nine-day trial.
The jury found Ramonsantiago personally inflicted grave bodily injury on the victim during the rape, which resulted in a pregnancy, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
The assault occurred April 19, 2021, at a residence in Nipomo.
“The violence and trauma suffered by the young survivor is what one would see in a horror movie,” San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Kristin Barnard said in the release. “The sheer courage it took for this young lady to report and later detail this crime to a jury is remarkable. We are thankful to the jury for their focused attention in this very emotional and raw case and acknowledge the impact it has had on them as individuals.”
San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen sentenced Ramonsantiago to 25 years to life in state prison — the maximum he could have received under the law.
How to get help
If you or someone you know are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673. The hotline offers a range of free services including confidential support from a trained staff member, help finding a local health facility, legal and medical advice and referrals for long-term support.
Survivor support and resources are also available through Lumina Alliance at luminaalliance.org or its Crisis and Information Line at 805-545-8888.
This story was originally published December 15, 2023 at 12:54 PM.
