SLO man sentenced to six years in prison for rape by force
Crimes occurred in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2019, just outside of SLO City limits
– San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced this week that San Luis Obispo resident Adrian Oswald Pinto, 37, has been sentenced to six years in state prison for his conviction of rape by force and sexual penetration by a foreign object. Pinto is also required to register as a sex offender for life. The conviction came after a week-long jury trial where, on Sept. 29, 2022, Pinto was found guilty of the felonies.
The crimes occurred in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2019, near the intersection of West Foothill Boulevard and Los Osos Valley Road, just outside of the San Luis Obispo city limits.
“We thank the jury for their focused attention in this very sensitive and difficult case,” said Dow. “We applaud the courage of the survivor in initially reporting the crime and for having the fortitude to describe the incident to the jury in order to hold this sexual predator accountable.”
The sentence was imposed by Superior Court Judge the Honorable Craig van Rooyen after considering statements by the crime survivor and her parents. The DA argued for a 12-year sentence, which was supported by the probation department in a pre-sentence report. Pinto’s defense lawyer argued for the lowest possible prison sentence of three years. The maximum sentence allowed by law for the offenses is 16 years in prison.
At the sentencing hearing, the survivor provided a statement to the court describing the impact these crimes have had on her personal well-being, noting the tremendous emotional toll and her inability to feel safe in her community. She thanked the jury for listening to her and believing her. She asked the court to impose the maximum sentence.
The survivor’s parents provided statements to the court describing the emotional and physical impact of the crime, primarily on their daughter, but also on themselves. The survivor’s mother closed by telling Pinto that “the jury saw you for what you are” and requested that the maximum sentence be imposed. She closed by telling Pinto “you do not deserve leniency.”
The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Melissa Chabra who is assigned to the District Attorney’s Sexual Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
