LOS ANGELES (CA)
KTLA-TV [Los Angeles CA]
December 9, 2024
By Cameron Kiszla
A former priest has been sentenced to a year in jail and 10 years on the sex offender registry after he pleaded no contest to possessing child pornography.
Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara, 39, pleaded guilty in October to a felony count of child sexual abuse material, as well as several special allegations, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release:
- Aggravated possession of child pornography, containing more than 600 images
- The crime involved a large quantity of contraband
- Victim was vulnerable
- The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication or professionalism
In addition to his sentence of 365 days in jail, two years of formal probation and 10 years on the sex offender registry, Martinez-Guevara was given a suspended two-year prison sentence to serve if he violates probation. Catholic priest charged with possession of child porn
Martinez-Guevara, a Roman Catholic priest who served in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at churches including Our Lady of Guadalupe in Oxnard, was identified as a suspect “after dozens of reports were made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” the release said.
“The Ventura County Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force (VC-CEHTTF) recognizes the devastating effects of sexual exploitation on this generation of child victims and future generations, when the cycle perpetuates itself,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise. “Tremendous resources went into this case because our children must be protected.”
While the 600 child sexual abuse images and videos were discovered while Martinez-Guevara was living in Oxnard, he faces a separate but related case in Los Angeles County.
The VCDA described Martinez-Guevara as a Long Beach resident when announcing the charges last year.
He will be sentenced in that L.A. County case next month.