A jury this afternoon found former San Benito County Sheriff’s
Sgt. Michael Rodrigues guilty of raping three women.
A jury this afternoon found former San Benito County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Rodrigues guilty of raping three women.
Jurors convicted Rodrigues, 48, on four counts of rape, though they came down with a not guilty verdict on four other charges related to one of the accuser’s allegations.
Overall, there were four guilty verdicts and four not guilty verdicts, including a rape allegation and other accusations from a woman who contended he raped her in 2007.
The jury, however, convicted Rodrigues for raping the three other women – one of them in 1999 and 2000, and the others in 2006.
With the four rape convictions, Rodrigues faces a possible sentence of 60 years to life in prison. Jurors also handed down guilty verdicts on three special allegations that could enhance the penalty.
Defense attorney Art Cantu, meanwhile, had indicated his intention to appeal the case even before the jury reached verdicts.
The proceedings remain in session at the San Benito County Courthouse.
