A 61-year-old man has been sentenced to nearly 50 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of a series of sexual acts involving children under age 14, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced.
The case against Rodney Dartanyon Alexis Smith began in 2018 when a 14-year-old girl told Stockton police that Smith had repeatedly abused her, both physically and sexually, since elementary school. Detectives then discovered that Smith had also been abusing the victim’s 16-year-old sister, beginning when she was in junior high, prosecutors said in a social media post.
During the trial, where Smith represented himself, two other women testified about unwanted sexual advances he had made toward them when they were 12 and 16 years old, respectively.
The two sisters offered statements against Smith during the sentencing phase. San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Richard Mallett imposed a sentence of 49 years and eight months to life in prison against Smith.
“This lengthy prison sentence ensures that a dangerous predator will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he can never harm another child,” District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a statement.
“I am incredibly proud of the brave victims who stood up, faced this defendant, and spoke their truth in court.”