Stockton man faces 740 years to life in prison after child sexual abuse conviction
A Stockton man is facing life behind bars after a jury found him guilty of child sexual abuse.
This week, San Joaquin County prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Antonio Hernandez, 59, on 35 counts of child sexual abuse. The charges include sexual intercourse with a child under 10 (counts 1-24), oral copulation with a child under 10 (counts 25-28), lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 (counts 29-32), and rape by force or fear (counts 33-35).
The abuse was reported to the Stockton Police Department in October 2023, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said the abuse began when the child was 7 years old and continued for seven years until they came forward.
“If you prey on the most vulnerable among us, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will ensure that you are removed from society forever. The sheer bravery of this young survivor in standing up to their abuser is nothing short of heroic, and because of their courage, this predator will never have the opportunity to harm another child," District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a statement. "Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice for victims and ensure that the full weight of the law is brought down on those who commit these despicable crimes.”
Hernandez faces a sentence of 740 years to life in prison for the abuse, according to the district attorney's office. He will be sentenced by Judge Lance Jacot at 9 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2025 in Department 7A of the San Joaquin County Superior Court.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton man faces life in prison after child sexual abuse conviction
