DISGRACE: California Father To Receive Just Three Years In Prison After Daughter’s Suicide Following Alleged Incest Abuse After She Moved Across The Country To Live With Him

A California father accused of sexually abusing his teenage daughter shortly after she moved across the country to live with him is expected to receive just three years in prison, a plea deal that has sparked outrage from the victim’s family and online observers alike.

Stephen Vincent Chavez, 41, pleaded guilty to one felony count of incest and one misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor in connection with the case involving his daughter, Makayla Rene Settles. Prosecutors say Chavez is expected to formally receive a three-year state prison sentence during a June 23 hearing in Ventura County Superior Court.

Makayla, 18, had moved from Raleigh to Moorpark in July 2025 after reconnecting with her biological father and planning to begin college and start a new chapter in her life. Family members said she hoped to attend Moorpark College and pursue a future in architecture.

According to reports tied to the criminal case, the alleged abuse occurred shortly after a family reunion. Chavez allegedly purchased alcohol for himself and his daughter before sexually abusing her after they returned home.

Family members later stated that Makayla was hospitalized within days of moving to California and underwent a rape kit examination that allegedly identified Chavez’s DNA.

Five months later, Makayla died by suicide, devastating relatives who have since publicly criticized prosecutors for not pursuing more severe charges, including rape.

Her mother, Carolina Sandoval, expressed anger and disbelief over the expected sentence during interviews surrounding the case.

“Based on the charges, the most that he can get is three years,” she said, adding that it felt as though her daughter’s life was “only worth three years.”

Under the plea agreement, Chavez is also expected to register as a sex offender for 20 years.

The case has triggered widespread reaction online following the circulation of a television news report detailing the allegations and the controversial plea arrangement. Many questioned how a case involving alleged abuse by a biological parent and the later suicide of the victim could result in what critics describe as a comparatively light sentence.

Ventura County prosecutors previously stated that the case became legally more difficult after Makayla’s death because the primary witness was no longer able to testify in court.

Even so, the case continues to fuel broader debates over plea deals, sentencing standards, and how the justice system handles allegations involving familial sexual abuse and vulnerable victims.

Formal sentencing is scheduled for June 23.