Santa Ana man accused of sexually abusing relative for 9 years

Orange County prosecutors Thursday charged a Santa Ana man with sexually abusing a female relative for nine years and getting her pregnant when she was 11 years old.

Authorities learned about the allegations against Mariano Antonio Castro, 56, when the relative began attending a new church and confided in the pastor, who encouraged her to go police. She came forward to Santa Ana Police Department detectives April 19.

Castro is accused of sexually assaulting the female relative on a regular basis from October 2000 to October 2008 in his Santa Ana home, beginning when she was 8 years old. He is also accused of impregnating her when she was 11 years old. She gave birth to a girl at age 12. She did not report him as the father.

Castro is charged with one felony count of continuous sexual abuse, one felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse, two felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14, and sentencing enhancement allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child and inflicting great bodily injury. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Castro faces a maximum sentence of 34 years to life in state prison. Santa Ana police are continuing to investigate, and anyone with additional information is asked to contact Supervising Dist. Atty. Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.

-- Richard Winton

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