Picture this, your nieces are walking to school alongside Garces Hwy when a man approaches them — trying to lure them into his car.
They run into this store asking for help, when you arrive you confront the man, but rather than being praised for stepping in — you’re now facing up to 5 years in prison. That’s exactly what’s happening to one Delano man.
“As anybody would, you get a call from your kids or anything that someone is trying to hurt them, my first instinct was to protect,” said uncle Brendon Santana.
That moment is now landing Brendon Santana, a Delano man, in serious legal trouble.
“They said that my charges carry five years,” said Santana.
Court documents show Santana is accused of assault and battery that caused serious bodily injury on September 10, 2025. One of the charges includes a special enhancement for personally inflicting great bodily injury. If convicted, Santana could face five years in prison.
It all took place September 9 of this year, on Garces Highway — where his two nieces, ages 11 and 12, were on their way to school.
That’s when police say 55-year-old Jose Martin, a registered sex offender, approached the girls.
“He said hey come here and I’m like no and he said lets ditch school and I said no and then I said I have to go on the bus and he said ill take you and I said no,” said Angelina Santana.
Shortly after, the girls ran to a nearby market and called their mother, who called Santana.
Santana allegedly confronted the suspect and beat him.
12-year-old Angelina tells me not only does she still carry fear about the incident, now she’s scared of losing her uncle.
“I don’t really think he should be facing charges because he was just trying to protect his family and I think anyone would basically do the same thing if it was them,” said Angelina.
Martin was arrested at his residence the following day and remains in custody without the possibility of parol.
Because Martin has prior convictions for serious sex crimes, including rape and attempted sodomy, these new charges are being treated as felonies and carry enhanced penalties.
He is also charged with failing to update his sex offender registration as required by law. Due to his criminal history, Martin faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.
Learning about hid charges, Santana tells me he was shocked.
“I don’t think it’s fair at all, I do think I could’ve reacted differently and I apologize for that but I feel like that’s something that anyone would do,” said Santana.
His sister tells me she believes justice isn’t being served and her brother, a hero in her eyes, shouldn’t be treated as the villain, fearing what could’ve happened if he wasn’t there.
“I feel like my daughters wouldn’t be here, they wouldn’t be here at all. That man would’ve taken my daughters and I wouldn’t see them again,” said Marilyn Santana.
Santana's case is still under investigation.
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