Two Men Sentenced for Separate Child Molestation Cases

Source: District Attorney of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced [Wednesday] that in two separate cases in the month of June, 2018, two Santa Barbara County criminal defendants, who had previously been convicted of multiple child molestation charges, were sentenced to collectively over 300 years to life in state prison.

On June 4, 2018 Eduardo Barragan Barajas was sentenced to 170 years to life in prison in Department 7 of the Santa Maria Superior Court after being found guilty of 13 counts of sexually abusing a child from age 10 to 13 years old.

On June 27, 2018 Manuel Ruiz Rios, was sentenced to 135 years to life in prison in Department 3 of the Santa Barbara Superior Count, after having been found guilty of 13 counts of sexually abusing two children, over a three year period, beginning when the children were three years old.

In response to these significant sentences, District Attorney Joyce Dudley stated, “These crimes are despicable. Repeatedly assaulting and preying upon child victims is unconscionable and the punishment should be commensurate with the crime. None of these horrendous crimes could have been successfully litigated without exceptional investigation by our local law enforcement agencies, zealous prosecution by the District Attorney staff, and above all, the bravery of the young victims and their loved ones.”