JURY CONVICTS 64-YEAR-OLD TEXAS MAN OF SIXTEEN COUNTS OF CHILD MOLESTATION

Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced today that on July 21, 2026, a jury found Jose Guadalupe Reyes, age 64, guilty of 14 counts of Penal Code section 288(b)(1), forcible lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14, and two counts of Penal Code section 269(a)(1), aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14. The jury also found true the multiple victim enhancement for each count of Penal Code section 288(b)(1). All the offenses are serious and violent felonies and are considered strikes under California's Three Strikes Law.

Judge Carrie Panetta will sentence Reyes on August 13, 2026. The maximum sentence Judge Panetta could impose at sentencing is 225 years to life in state prison. Reyes will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Reyes molested Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, all children under the age of fourteen, from the years 1996 to 2012. Three of the victims were his nieces, one of the victims was his girlfriend's daughter, and one of the victims was his granddaughter. Reyes would touch all five victims inappropriately both under and over the clothing, using force and duress to accomplish the acts. The victims waited until adulthood to report the assaults. According to research into sexual assault victim behavior, it is very common for victims to delay reporting the sexual abuse, especially when the victim is a minor and has a close relationship with the perpetrator. Reyes was apprehended in 2025 in Texas and extradited to Monterey County to face prosecution for his crimes against Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

This case was investigated by former Marina Police Department Detective Ivan Santana. District Attorney Investigator Isabelle Rhodes conducted follow-up investigation in the case and assisted with the trial process. Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were assisted by the District Attorney's Office Victim Witness Program Manager Alma Sanchez as well as District Attorney Victim Advocates Mayra Sandoval and Kristin Peterson. Court Facility Support Dogs Norma Jeane and Armani, provided the Jane Does with much needed support during trial testimony and throughout the whole trial process.