33-Year-Old Greenfield Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for Child Molestation Convictions Involving 4 Victims

 

SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on February 21

that 33-year-old Gustavo Espinoza Villalobos of Greenfield, was sentenced to 25-years-

to-life in state prison by Superior Court Judge Mark Hood. On December 13, 2024, a jury found

Villalobos guilty of 3 counts of Penal Code section 288(a) – lewd or lascivious acts on a child

under the age of 14, and 1 count of Penal Code section 647.6 – annoy or molest a child under the

age of 18. The jury also found true the multiple victim enhancement for each count of Penal Code

section 288(a).

All 3 Penal Code section 288(a) offenses are serious and violent felonies and are considered

strikes under California’s Three Strikes Law. Villalobos was also ordered to register as a sex

offender.

In December of 2018, Detective Joseph Dyles of the Greenfield Police Department spoke with John

Doe 1. John Doe 1 disclosed to Detective Dyles that Villalobos molested him when he was 10 years

old. Villalobos lived next door to John Doe 1 in Greenfield at the time of the molestation. Further

investigation revealed that John Does 2, 3, and 4, who were members of Villalobos’ family, were

also molested by him. These molestations occurred when John Doe 2 was 12 years old, John Doe 3

was 9 years old, and John Doe 4 was 11 or 12 years old. All 4 victims delayed reporting the

incidents for years. According to research into sexual assault victim behavior, it is very common for

victims to delay reporting the sexual abuse, especially when the victim is a minor and has a close

relationship with the perpetrator. Shortly after these accusations came to light, Villalobos fled the

country to Mexico. He was apprehended in 2023 at the border and extradited to Monterey County to

face prosecution for his crimes against John Doe 1, 2, 3, and 4.

This case was investigated by Greenfield Police Detective Joseph Dyles and King City Police

Sergeant Joshue Partida. Monterey County District Attorney Investigator Rebecca Ayala conducted

follow-up investigation on the case. John Does 1, 2, 3, and 4 were assisted by the District

Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Assistance Program Manager Alma Sanchez. Court Facility

Support Dog, Norma Jeane, provided John Doe 1 with much needed support after his testimony at

trial.