A former Livingston Union School District bus driver was sentenced to probation Monday after pleading no contest to a child molestation charge.
Attorneys reached a plea agreement in the case of 56-year-old Tony Austin Rorabaugh, of Atwater. He was arrested by Merced County sheriff's deputies in 2004 after allegations emerged that he had molested a girl on several occasions when she was between the ages of 6 and 18, up until 2003.
Meanwhile, Rorabaugh's attorney said Monday his client maintains he's innocent, despite the plea.
Superior Court Judge Brian McCabe gave Rorabaugh a suspended prison sentence of eight years and three years probation. He must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and can't live within 2,000 feet of a school, park or where children gather.
At the time of his arrest, Rorabaugh was facing several charges that could have put him in prison for more than 70 years. He eventually pleaded no contest to one count of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child.
The victim, who is now in her 20s, addressed Rorabaugh in court during the sentencing hearing. She thanked the Merced County District Attorney's Office and staff with the county's Victim Witness Program, but said she wasn't satisfied with the resolution.
"To say this sentence is justice, to say you got what you deserved, is a lie," she told Rorabaugh.
The woman said she also hopes Rorabaugh's conviction will make him finally acknowledge his crime.
Deputy District Attorney Monique Neese said the plea agreement was reached after talking extensively with the victim. Neese said a trial would have meant putting the victim on the stand in front of a jury and reliving the abuse.
Still, the victim wanted Rorabaugh to be legally prohibited from being around children, which Neese said the plea agreement accomplished.
"She didn't want anyone else to go through what she has gone through," Neese said.
Rorabaugh's attorney, Jeffrey Tenenbaum, said his client acknowledged having a relationship with the victim when she was 18 years old, but denied having any inappropriate contact with her before then.
Tenenbaum said his client could have faced 76 years in prison if the case had gone to trial. To avoid going to prison for the rest of his life, Tenenbaum said his client settled on a plea agreement.
"He's angry. He's had to deal with this whole thing. None of it's true," Tenenbaum said. "He took his deal, and he's going to move on."
Prosecutors said the crimes didn't happen on school property or buses. Neese said the victim had attended a home-school program operated by Rorabaugh and his wife. The case took six years to resolve, mainly because the victim served in the military overseas and Rorabaugh was hospitalized from an accident, Tenenbaum said.
Rorabaugh has been free on bail since 2004. At the time of his arrest, he was a maintenance man and bus driver. He's no longer employed with the school district, Tenenbaum said.
