BREAKING NEWS: Wiseburn daycare provider gets 8 years for molesting girls
A Wiseburn-area daycare provider was sentenced today to eight years in prison for molesting two young girls entrusted to him while their parents worked.
Tito Ruiz, 66, showed no emotion as Torrance Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen imposed the sentence.
"They trusted him and he violated that trust in the worst way," Van Sicklen said.
Ruiz must serve at least six years of the sentence and register as a sex offender when he is released.
Jurors found Ruiz guilty in October of committing two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a minor.
The victims were 4- and 6-years-old at the time. Ruiz touched one on the chest and the other on the groin area.
He had faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.
His attorney, Gilbert Rodriguez, asked the court for probation, calling Ruiz a "low risk" and that the crimes were not egregious.
In emotional statements before the judge ruled, one of the girl's parents said Ruiz changed their lives forever.
"One year ago our daughter was a trusting, outgoing girl without a care in the world," the mother said. "It breaks my heart to know she lost her childhood innocence and carries a load of worries wherever she goes."
Tito Ruiz, 66, showed no emotion as Torrance Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen imposed the sentence.
"They trusted him and he violated that trust in the worst way," Van Sicklen said.
Ruiz must serve at least six years of the sentence and register as a sex offender when he is released.
Jurors found Ruiz guilty in October of committing two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a minor.
The victims were 4- and 6-years-old at the time. Ruiz touched one on the chest and the other on the groin area.
He had faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.
His attorney, Gilbert Rodriguez, asked the court for probation, calling Ruiz a "low risk" and that the crimes were not egregious.
In emotional statements before the judge ruled, one of the girl's parents said Ruiz changed their lives forever.
"One year ago our daughter was a trusting, outgoing girl without a care in the world," the mother said. "It breaks my heart to know she lost her childhood innocence and carries a load of worries wherever she goes."
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Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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He should be shot, prison doesn't fix thse guys. It's a defect and instead of him suffering he is going to a place where he will have free room and board, free healthcare and perks. He should suffer as these little girls have. A shame that child molesters and rapists are allowed to live.