A Santa Paula man pleaded guilty to eight counts of lewd acts upon a child in Ventura County Superior Court on June 22 for the yearslong abuse of two children.
Leonel Galindo Galindo, 37, previously pleaded not guilty to all counts in May 2025, court records show.
Along with the change in plea, he also admitted to several special allegations that he took advantage of a position of trust, according to a Ventura County District Attorney’s Office news release. Such allegations could lead to increased sentencing if found guilty.
The charges come after a DA’s investigation found that Galindo had molested two children under the age of 14 on multiple occasions between 2018 and 2020, DA’s officials said.
He was known to the victims before the assaults and had molested the children in their own homes in Santa Paula. The DA’s office said.
Galindo was arrested in May 2025 and booked into Ventura County jail where he remains with bail set at $2.4 million, officials said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, where he is expected to receive 22 years in state prison.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Santa Paula man pleads guilty to 8 felony counts for child molestation
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star | USA TODAY Network
