Man convicted of raping, impregnating 17-year-old girl in Nipomo

November 3, 2023

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A San Luis Obispo County jury convicted a man of raping a 17-year-old girl, whom he impregnated. 

Florentino Marcelino Ramonsantiago, now 30, raped the victim on April 29, 2021 at a home in Nipomo, according to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office. 

At the conclusion of a nine-day trial, jurors convicted Ramonsantiago of forcible rape. The jury also convicted Ramonsantiago of an enhancement for personally inflicting great bodily injury on the victim. The great bodily injury allegation was based on the fact that Ramonsantiago’s sexual assault resulted in pregnancy, according to prosecutors.

Because of the enhancement, Ramonsantiago faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Ramonsantiago’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 30 in the courtroom of Judge Craig Van Rooyen. 

“The violence and trauma suffered by the young survivor is what one would see in a horror movie,” Deputy District Attorney Kristin Barnard said in a statement. “The sheer courage it took for this young lady to report and later detail this shocking crime to a jury is remarkable. We are thankful to the jury for their focused attention in this very emotional and raw case and acknowledge the impact it has had on them as individuals.”