Man gets 158-year prison sentence for molesting own children

A Santa Barbara man will spend the rest of his life in prison for molesting his own children.

Jose Raya Hernandez was sentenced to 158 years to life for molesting his two young daughters.

Hernandez was convicted of nine counts of a lewd act on a child under 14 and continued sexual abuse of a child under 14.

But, Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Ladinig says Hernandez sexually abused each daughter hundreds of times from 1996 to 2006.

“This is their own father. As unthinkable and unimaginable as that could be you can have some insight as to why disclosure was delayed. The shame, embarrassment, nobody would believe these girls,” said Ladinig.

Hernandez was convicted of similar charges back in 2005 for molesting his niece.

Following his 2005 conviction, Hernandez was deported to Mexico, but later returned to the United States without reporting for probation.

That’s when Hernandez two daughters told law enforcement they too, were molested.

Hernandez was finally arrested in Kern County last year.