BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — A man was found guilty on Tuesday of sexually abusing a 15-year-old female relative in 2023, announced the Kern County District Attorney.
Ricardo Alvarez was convicted on April 7, 2026, of lewd and lascivious acts with a child, age 14 or 15, sexual penetration with a foreign object on a victim under age 16, and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under 16.
Prosecutors said an underage 15-year-old girl reported that on or about June 28, 2023, she stayed overnight at the home of a relative, then 34-year-old Ricardo Alvarez, after helping with their move. Later that evening, as she was lying down with Alvarez while they watched movies and videos together on his iPad, Alvarez began sexually assaulting the 15-year-old girl, said the DA.
The Bakersfield Police Department investigated and corroborated the victim’s statement. DNA evidence linked Alvarez to the sexual assault by the Kern Regional Crime Lab.
“The victim believed that Alvarez was a trusted adult and family member in her life. He took advantage of that position of trust and used it to sexually assault her, placing the victim in a vulnerable position. I commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward to ensure that Alvarez faces the appropriate consequences,” stated Kern County Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel.
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Alvarez is set to be sentenced on May 5, 2026. He faces up to five years and four months in prison.