The Merced County District Attorney’s office announced that Rodolfo Calderon was convicted on June 25th, 2021, on all four felony counts of child molesting.

Calderon faces a maximum sentence of twelve years plus fifteen years to life in prison at his sentencing scheduled for August 6, 2021, following guilty verdicts on four felony counts.

The trial stemmed from an August 2020 report to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office wherein the confidential victim disclosed they were repeatedly touched by a relative between the ages of seven and eleven, whenever they visited family at a farm in Gustine.

Mr. Calderon most often disguised his behavior by requiring the confidential victim to sit in his lap while driving a vehicle on the farm property.

The sexual abuse was not reported until the confidential victim was a teenager.

In addition to testimony from the confidential victim, the jury heard admissions made by Mr. Calderon to an adult member of the family during a pretext telephone call arranged by the Merced County Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau.

When Mr. Calderon was arrested, he admitted to detectives he sexually touched the confidential victim.

Calderon explained to detectives he was touched by the devil and tempted as a man when he touched the confidential victim inappropriately.