Disgraced California Father, 41, Avoids Harsh Prison Sentence After Pleading Guilty to Incest — Months After His Biological Daughter, 18, Killed Herself
Stephen Chavez was sentence to one year in jail after pleading guilty to incest of his teenage daughter, Makayla Settles.
June 24 2026, Published 3:10 p.m. ET
A California father who brutally raped his own teenage daughter before she took her life five months later will only serve one year in jail as part of a plea agreement, RadarOnline.com can report.
Stephen Chavez was handed the lenient sentence, much to the dismay of prosecutors and the young girl's family.
Not What Prosecutors Wanted
Makayla Settles took her life months after her father raped her.
Chavez was sentenced to one year in jail and three years of felony probation after he previously pleaded guilty to one felony count of incest and one misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor in connection with the abuse of his 18-year-old biological daughter, Makayla Settles.
Under California law, felony incest carries a maximum sentence of three years. Since Settles was 18 at the time of the attack, and no longer a minor, Chavez faced limited charges.
The 41-year-old has also received credit for 88 days already served. When he gets out, he will not be allowed to drink alcohol while serving his probation, and will be required to register as a s-x offender for 20 years.
After the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty said she did not agree with the sentencing.
"The People requested the maximum three-year state prison sentence because the defendant exploited his position as a father, violated his daughter's trust, supplied her with alcohol, and engaged in criminal conduct that forever altered the course of her life," she said in a statement. "While we respect the court's decision, we continue to believe a state prison sentence was warranted under the facts of this case."
The Judge's Response: 'I Can Feel the Anger'
Stephen Chavez stood behind bars in a waiting room as he learned his fate.
Settles' cousin, Crystal Sandoval, blasted the decision, telling Judge Dusty Kawai the light sentence could prevent other victims of similar crimes from coming forward.
"This is exactly why we don't speak up," she told Kawai during the June 23 sentencing.
Kawai agreed that Settles deserved better and validated Sandoval's feelings, but said he could not impose the three-year maximum because Chavez did not have a previous criminal history.
"I can feel the anger, and I can feel the frustration," he said. "I can sense the injustice that you feel, and I understand."
Family Members Slam Stephen Chavez
Settles' family were disappointed with the sentence.
Sandoval slammed Chavez, saying he not only lacked remorse but insisted the s-x was consensual and that Settles was lying.
He also tried to paint himself as a victim, revealing his girlfriend has since broken up with him, while blaming alcohol for clouding his judgment. But the cousin wasn't buying that.
"She killed herself because of you, and yet you continue to speak badly of her," Sandoval told Chavez during the victim impact statements.
A Life Cut Short
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Chavez was led away in cuffs after pleading guilty at his trial.
As Radar reported, Settles was staying with her biological father, Chavez, at his home in Moorpark, California, in July 2025. According to Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, "After a day of drinking at a family gathering, Chavez purchased additional alcohol for him and his daughter to drink at home."
"Chavez then engaged in sexual intercourse with her."
Settles died by suicide several months later, in December 2025. Her family said the teen moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Moorpark in July, eager for a "fresh start" with her dad. She was also looking forward to starting college.
"Makayla placed her trust and well-being in the defendant’s care, moving from North Carolina to California to start a new life with him," said McCarty during the trial. "The defendant violated this trust and shattered the father-daughter relationship in an unimaginable way, conduct for which prison is the only appropriate sentence."
