San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Plea in Horrific Child Sexual Assault Case

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announces that Jorge Mellado-Ferusca has pleaded guilty to one count of Penal Code Section 288.7(a), sexual intercourse with a child 10 years of age or younger.

Case Details:

The facts of the case establish that the 11-year-old victim reported to school staff that she had been sexually assaulted by Mellado-Ferusca for several years, beginning when she was approximately 4 years old. The victim had begun self-harming as a coping mechanism before reporting the abuse to school district staff, Child Protective Services, and law enforcement.

Mellado-Ferusca confessed to the sexual assaults, then attempted to take the victim from her school and was arrested at that time. Following a Miranda advisement, Mellado-Ferusca confessed to the crimes. A search of his phone revealed hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse material, including videos depicting children as young as 1 year old being raped. Mellado-Ferusca had also recorded himself assaulting the victim and retaining those videos on his phone.

“Today marks a measure of justice for a courageous young victim who endured years of unimaginable horror at the hands of the defendant,” said District Attorney Ron Freitas. “This guilty plea ensures he will face the full weight of the law, and my office will never rest in protecting our children from predators.”

District Attorney Freitas extends his deepest gratitude to Detectives Romero and Toon of the Stockton Police Department for their exceptional professionalism in investigating this case; to Joanna Sierra, Victim Witness Advocate, for her dedicated and compassionate support of the victim; to Deputy District Attorney Victor Bachand for his passion and expertise in prosecuting this case; and to the agents of Homeland Security Investigations for their critical partnership in holding this offender accountable.

Mellado-Ferusca faces a sentence of 25 years to life and will be sentenced on December 10, 2025, in Department 8C of the San Joaquin County Superior Court.