Huntington Park : Convicted Rapist Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

A Huntington Park man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in the rape of an 11-year-old girl, who became impregnated.

Sebastian Heriberto Arias was sentenced on three counts of rape Friday in Norwalk Superior Court by Judge Robert Higa. Arias could have faced a maximum 24-year prison term for the assaults, which began in January 1984.

Originally, nine counts of forcible rape and child molestation of the girl were filed against Arias on July 27 by the district attorney’s office. Arias pleaded guilty to the three charges on Dec. 14.

On July 17, Arias was shot once in the chest and twice in the head by the child’s father, who police said had been a friend. Arias, 39, subsequently lost his right eye.

The child’s father pleaded guilty to reduced charges of assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting and faced a maximum six-year prison term. In November, in Norwalk Superior Court, he was sentenced to three years of formal probation and 156 days he had already served in county jail.