Stephen Delacruz plead guilty to eight felony sex crimes committed against his sister Tuesday

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday that Stephen Delacruz pled guilty to eight felony sex crimes against his sister.

Delacruz pled guilty on May 14, 2024, to the following charges:

• Three counts of PC 261(a)(2)-Forcible Rape
• Three counts of PC 287(c)(2)(a)-Forcible Oral Copulation
• Two counts of PC 289(a)(1)-Sexual Penetration by Foreign Object

During his plea, Delacruz also admitted to the special allegation that his sister was under the age of 18 at the time of the charged crimes stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"Samantha was incredibly brave, courageous and just never gave up," said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, who prosecuted the case. "Despite multiple setbacks and delays, she kept fighting for justice and to have her voice heard in court. Because of her determination to see her brother held accountable for these egregious crimes, the legal process did ultimately work."

The conviction ends a legal process that began in 2019 when the sexual assault survivor walked into the Oxnard Police Department to report that her brother had raped her when she was eight years old detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Initially, Delacruz faced charges in juvenile court as he was 14 and 15 at the time of the crimes, but then-Senior prosecutor Erik Nasarenko fought to have the case transferred to adult court by arguing that the abuse involved significant sophistication and planning and that the crimes were particularly violent explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Delacruz isolated his sister in their Oxnard home and threatened to kill her if she ever reported the crimes as well as displayed a knife prior to the sexual assaults which occurred in 2001 and 2002.

The juvenile court agreed to transfer the case, but a 2022 amendment to the California juvenile court transfer criteria which required courts to determine, "by clear and convincing evidence that the minor is not amenable to rehabilitation" through the juvenile court system detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

In 2023, a different Ventura County Superior Court judge found that Delacruz fit for transfer under the new criteria explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Delacruz then exercised his right to appeal the transfer to the California Court of Appeal which affirmed the transfer order in November of 2023 stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, during Delacruz's guilty plea in May of this year, he waived his appellate rights meaning he is barred from any further appeals in this case.

Delacruz is currently scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Jun. 27, 2024, in courtroom 24 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

All eight counts are considered violent felonies under California law and the District Attorney intends to ask for a 30-year state prison commitment explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"This is a day that I thought may never come, and I am thankful that this violent criminal will no longer be a threat to our community," said Samantha. "I owe a debt of gratitude to District Attorney Nasarenko for staying on the case and for his unrelenting support in my fight for justice. I also want to express my gratitude to the entire DA’s office, who work so hard to bring justice to victims like me and to protect our county."