After a week-long trial, a man has been convicted of first-degree rape after a 16-year-old victim came forward in 2024 and reported ongoing sexual assault that spanned several years.

The man was arrested by the Long Beach Police Department on April 20, 2024.

Guadalupe J. Espinoza-Garcia, 48, was initially facing one count of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of second-degree rape of a child, two counts of third-degree rape of a child, one count of child molestation, two counts of second-degree child molestation and two counts of third-degree child molestation.

According to court records, the alleged victim reported being raped ten times and decided to come forward after being slapped in the face by Espinoza.

“[The victim] told me that [a subject] told [them] that Espinoza has watched [them] sleep multiple times,” LBPD Officer Miranda Estrada stated in court records. “I asked [them] if that started in the time frame that [they] gave me of when things started, and [they] told me that it’s been several years.”

The victim told investigators they would be woken up to being raped by Espinoza. Espinoza reportedly would place his hand or a pillow over the child’s mouth to cover up their screams.

While the child was interviewed by Estrada, they reported the most recent incident occurred within the “last two months.”

At the trial Pacific County Prosecutor Michael Rothman asked that as part of deliberations if jurors couldn’t agree on first-degree rape of a child, they then consider second-degree rape of a child.

The jury subsequently convicted Espinoza of first-degree rape of a child, and his formal sentencing is scheduled for May 9.

Espinoza faces a minimum sentence of 93-123 months in prison and up to the maximum sentence of life in prison with any potential release determined by an indeterminate board.

“I want to thank the jury for their willingness to serve on a very difficult case,” Rothman said. “The subject matter and testimony were emotionally jarring. The 7-day trial was an additional burden for the members of the jury.”

“The Pacific County Prosecutor’s office could not have obtained justice for the victim in this case without the exemplary service of Officer Miranda Estrada of Long Beach Police Department, Paralegal Dawn Spoor, and Senior Legal Assistant Itzia Ruelas,” Rothman added.

Espinoza is also a key witness in the most recent jail death and was one of the last people to see the individual alive and was the one who discovered him deceased.