Oceanside Couple Who Prostituted Minor Sentenced

An Oceanside couple who forced their 12-year-old niece to cook, clean and have sex with her uncle and other men were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms.
Marcial Garcia Hernandez, 45, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault and committing a lewd act on a child and was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison by Judge Aaron Katz.
His wife, 44-year-old Inez Martinez Garcia, pleaded guilty to three lewd act counts and was given 20 years behind bars.
They were arrested last November after a 2 1/2-year "cold case" investigation that began when the victim -- who is now 24 -- came forward, sheriff's Sgt. Joe Mata said.
She told investigators she was brought to the United States from Mexico in 2001 -- when she was 12 -- with promises of a better life and an education.
When she arrived at the couple's home, however, she was forced to care for their three children, cook and clean the house under the threat of violence, including beatings, Mata said.
The couple began to sexually abuse their niece about four months into her ordeal -- making her have sex with Hernandez for about a year and a half, prosecutors said.
Garcia also coerced her niece to have sex with men in the area for money, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Penalties for non-compliance were beatings, being forced to eat hot chili peppers and spoiled food, and getting burned with a hot spoon, prosecutors said.
At one point, the victim lied about her age to work at a restaurant, and Garcia took her pay, Mata said.
She was later forced to have sex with older men for money, Mata said.The victim was eventually taken into protective custody after Garcia beat her, and someone reported it to police.
She was then reunited with her family in Mexico.
The case was put on hold while the victim was in Mexico, but later revived when she returned to the United States and came forward with her story, Mata said.