A former West Sacramento police officer was sentenced to 205 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting women while on duty.
In February, a Yolo County Superior Court jury convicted Sergio Alvarez of 18 counts, including rape, oral copulation and kidnapping. Five women testified against him at his trial. On Friday, a judge handed down Alvarez's sentence.
Prosecutors said they were satisfied with Alvarez's sentence.
"Two hundred and five years was a very legitimate sentence. And I think we calculated it as basically a life sentence for each victim," Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Rave said.
The rape victim, who first talked to News10 last year on condition that she remain anonymous, said she is no longer afraid to reveal her identity or her story. Christina Rivera said that's because she knows that Alvarez will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
"I lived in fear for over a year," Rivera said. "[Now] he's not going to hurt another woman again."
When Alvarez took the stand during the trial, he sometimes denied the women's allegations; sometimes, he claimed the sex was consensual.
Rivera did not testify in court, but five other women did. Unlike Rivera, the other victims who came forward were prostitutes or addicts. But she wants people to know that doesn't matter, what he did is still a crime.
"In my opinion, he would have raped anyone," Rivera said. "I myself have never been a prostitute, an addict, yet he raped me."
Rivera was staying in a Motel in West Sacramento. She said her car ran out of gas, so she walked to get fuel one night when Alvarez pulled over, offering to give her a lift. Instead of helping her, she said Alvarez raped her.
"He is a disgrace to anyone who wear's a uniform," Rivera said.
With such a lengthy sentence, Rivera said she's confident Alvarez will never get out anytime soon or hurt anyone else.
