Omar Cruz-Hernandez of Oxnard convicted of seven felony child sex abuse counts
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that Omar Cruz-Hernandez was convicted of seven felony counts of child sexual abuse.
On Aug. 2, 2024, a Ventura County jury found the Oxnard man guilty of the following violations:
- PC 288.7-Engaging in Sexual Intercourse or Sodomy with a Child 10 years or younger
- PC 288.5-Continuous Sexual Abuse
- PC 261(a)(2)-Rape by Force, Fear, or Threats
- PC 288(c)-Lewd or Lascivious Act on a Child 14 or 15 Years Old
- Three counts of PC 288(a)-Lewd or Lascivious Acts on a Child Under 14 Years Old
The Ventura County jury also found true the special allegation that Cruz-Hernandez sexually assaulted multiple sexual assault survivors shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
On June 23, 2023, detectives began investigating reported child sexual abuse when on survivor reported she had been abused by Cruz-Hernandez since she was ten years old detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release about the conviction Monday.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, another survivor later disclosed she had been abused by Cruz-Hernandez beginning when she was seven and Cruz-Hernandez's access to both children was from "a familial relationship".
"I am grateful to the Oxnard Police Department for their quick response and thorough investigation in this case," said Deputy District Attorney Michael Kern who prosecuted the case. "I am also thankful to the jurors in this case who listened to sensitive and difficult testimony and rendered a just verdict. While this conviction cannot undo the damage the defendant inflicted upon these innocent victims, it will go a long way in their healing process, knowing that their abuser has been held accountable for the crimes he committed against them."
Cruz-Hernandez remains in custody and is currently scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 28, 2024, where he faces up to 150 years and eight months to life in prison stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
