A Fresno County man pleaded guilty in court Thursday, years after investigators say he raped a string of local women.<\/p>\n
56-year-old Cesar Flores entered the plea just before a Fresno County judge was able to decide if prosecutors had enough evidence for trial.<\/p>\n
Flores was just moments away from seeing his victims in court as they prepared to testify against him.<\/p>\n
Flores is a serial rapist, now convicted of two counts plus another two counts of forceful lewd acts with children under 14.<\/p>\n
Some of the assaults happened 10 years ago, but authorities didn’t arrest Flores until last July.<\/p>\n
It was a D-N-A breakthrough that led investigators to Flores. For years, technology had only connected the rapes to each other but never to a suspect.<\/p>\n
Eventually, though, genealogy experts landed on Flores.<\/p>\n
He’s denied the nearly two dozen charges since his arrest, but on Thursday, a stunning reversal in court. Altogether, Flores pleaded guilty to four felonies.<\/p>\n
Each count involves a separate victim, whom he admitted was “vulnerable.”<\/p>\n
As part of the plea, Flores agreed to a 45-year-to-life prison sentence. He also gave up his right to appeal, meaning the conviction is final.<\/p>\n
Action News has learned that the victims support the plea and could potentially hear their stories when Flores is sentenced on July 20.<\/p>\n
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