Spring Valley Man Sentenced On Rape, Burglary Charges

SPRING VALLEY, NY — Rigoberto Lopez Castro, 26, of Spring Valley, has been sentenced to two consecutive 12 1⁄2-year terms in state prison based on his rape conviction in March.

Lopez Castro was also sentenced to a 12 1⁄2 - year term in state prison for first-degree burglary, to run concurrently with the other sentence, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced Wednesday.

Following a two-week jury trial presided over by the Honorable Kevin F. Russo, Lopez Castro was convicted on all three violent felonies stemming from criminal acts committed in Spring Valley.

Prosecutors said he forcibly raped a woman he knew on Sept. 12, 2022, holding a belt to the victim's neck and hiting her multiple times. On the following night, he broke into her home and locked bedroom, and again forcibly raped her. He put his hands around her neck and hit her repeatedly. As a result of these attacks, the victim suffered significant pain and sustained multiple bruises about her body and a ligature mark on her neck. She received treatment at a local hospital following the two incidents.

“This prosecution sends a clear message, violence/ sexual predatory violence will not be tolerated in Rockland County," Walsh said. "I would like to commend the investigation by our partners in law enforcement and vigorous prosecution by Assistant District Attorneys. The defendant is being held fully accountable for his actions and is facing a lengthy prison term.”

The defendant will serve a total of 25 years in state prison.

The case was investigated by the Spring Valley Police Department, with assistance from the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office BCI Unit, and the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center. Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily McNiff and Executive Assistant District Attorney
Tina Guccione prosecuted this case.