RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A man from California received a seven-year prison sentence on Friday for committing abuse against foster children entrusted to his care, including some who had experienced severe mistreatment from their biological parents.
Marcelino Olguin, aged 65, was escorted from a Riverside courtroom in handcuffs following a brief sentencing session. He had previously entered guilty pleas to charges including lewd acts against a child, false imprisonment, and child injury. His wife, Rosa, along with their adult daughter, Lennys, also pleaded guilty to charges related to child cruelty, and both received four years of formal probation.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin remarked that the sentencing was an important milestone in delivering justice for the victims who suffered extreme abuse. He emphasized that these vulnerable children, having already faced significant trauma, were further victimized by someone they were meant to trust.
Legal representatives for the Olguin family commented that the plea deal prevented the women from serving time in prison. Olguin’s attorney, Paul Grech, stated that his client’s actions ultimately protected his family and chose to refrain from discussing the case in detail following the hearing.
The Olguin family had taken responsibility for caring for these foster children after they escaped from dire conditions involving severe abuse within their parents’ home in Perris, Southern California. The children’s biological parents, David and Louise Turpin, were sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty in 2019 to extensive abuse, which included shackling and starving some of their children while denying them adequate education.
During the hearing, a victim’s advocate read aloud a statement from one of the Turpin children who had lived with the Olguins. The unnamed victim expressed a longing for a nurturing family environment to aid in recovery from trauma, yet regrettably noted the failure to find such solace while in Olguin’s care. The individual is still in the process of healing and learning to trust again but extended forgiveness to the family in a show of faith.
Reports indicated that the social service system did not adequately protect the Turpin children, who were between the ages of 2 and 29 when they were discovered by authorities, spurred by the escape of their 17-year-old sister who contacted emergency services. Ultimately, six of the children ended up with the Olguins.
Some attorneys representing Turpin children later filed a civil lawsuit against Riverside County, claiming that the Olguins mistreated the minors under their care. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleges various forms of abuse, including physical violence and forced humiliation. Additionally, it accused Marcelino Olguin of sexual abuse.
Kia Feyzjou, representing Lennys Olguin, acknowledged that some of the allegations might have been somewhat sensationalized but suggested that obtaining a favorable ruling amid heavy public scrutiny would be challenging. Doug Ecks, counsel for Rosa Olguin, remarked that while his client and her daughter could be viewed as enablers, they did not face the same level of abuse allegations. He concluded that arriving at a resolution that did not involve incarceration was likely the best outcome for all parties involved.