A 57-year-old man was sentenced today to 40 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing a young girl for over a year, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

On May 25, a jury found Fernando Rodriguez guilty of six counts in case KA110127: two counts of lewd act upon a child, two counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with child 10 years old or younger and one count each of child molesting and distributing or exhibiting harmful matter to a minor.

At today's court appearance, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mike Camacho also ordered the defendant to register as a lifetime sex offender. Furthermore, Rodriguez was ordered to stay away from the victim for 10 years.

Deputy District Attorney Babette Huley of the Victim Impact Program, who prosecuted the case, said Rodriguez sexually assaulted a 5-year-old Pomona girl between May 2013 and July 2014.

In addition to molesting the victim, Rodriguez also showed pornography to the young girl, the prosecutor added.

A year after the abuse, the victim's teacher learned about the sexual molestation and police were notified, the prosecutor said.

Authorities began an investigation and on July 20, 2015, issued a warrant for Rodriguez's arrest. Ten days later, the defendant was captured. He has remained in custody since his apprehension.

The case was investigated by the Pomona Police Department.

Los Angeles County District Attorney / case KA110127 / July 12, 2017