A former Santa Rosa City Schools employee was sentenced Thursday to four years in state prison for assaulting a young woman with developmental disabilities.
According to the Press Democrat, Apolinario Santos, an instructional assistant for a local work-experience program, pleaded guilty to felony charges of assault and committing lewd acts on a dependent adult.
The victim’s mother told the court that the repeated abuse, which occurred while her daughter was training for a job, caused her severe mental and physical suffering. Santos was caught after a local employer noticed his behavior on security footage and alerted school officials last April. In addition to his prison term, the judge ordered Santos to register as a sex offender for life.
The court noted the tragic nature of the case, stating that a program meant to build confidence was instead used to take advantage of a vulnerable student.
