Rohnert Park man sentenced to 30 years to life in molestation case

Jul. 9--A Rohnert Park man was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison Thursday for molesting two young girls over a four-year period in his home.

Martin DeWitt, 56, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of molestation in May, triggering Thursday's sentencing hearing, the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Both girls were younger than 10 years old at the time of the sexual assaults, the email said. One of the victims, now an adult, spoke during the hearing.

"I am stronger than what you did to me," the woman, only identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe, said prior to the sentencing.

The case gained traction last July, nearly eight years after one of the girls first reported to police that she and her stepsister were being sexually assaulted by DeWitt, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said.

DeWitt denied the allegations when he was questioned by police and the case was suspended for lack of evidence or an admission, police said.

But in 2019, the girl who initially reported the crime, by then an adult, returned to the department and they agreed to reopen the case. The woman then called DeWitt and he admitted to abusing both victims, the news release said.

He was arrested Aug. 28 and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on $21 million bail.

"Due to these victims' tremendous strength and determination in seeking justice for the abuse they endured, Mr. Dewitt's lengthy prison commitment will help make our community a safer place," Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch said in an written statement.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.

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