SANTA ANA, Calif.—A 42-year-old man was sentenced April 14 to 25 years to life in prison for kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old girl in Santa Ana 24 years ago.
Jose Andres Plascencia was convicted Feb. 2 of kidnapping to commit a sex crime and five counts of rape, all felonies.
Co-defendant Ismael Salgado, 43, is awaiting trial.
Jurors deliberated for about a day before convicting Plascencia.
Deputy District Attorney Kristin Bracic said in her opening statement the case “comes down to one thing—opportunity.”
The two men were in a car on Feb. 3, 1999, when they spotted the victim and her 13-year-old friend leaving Jerome Center in Santa Ana and tried to coax them in for a ride, Bracic said. The girls went to the community center to walk around about 5:30 p.m. and were leaving about 7 p.m., Bracic said….