Stephen Vincent Chavez served less than six months of a one-year county jail sentence and now faces three years of felony probation.
VENTURA, CA — A Southern California father who pleaded guilty to felony incest involving his 18-year-old biological daughter was released from Ventura County Jail on Nov. 9 after serving less than six months of a one-year sentence, according to jail records and local authorities.
Stephen Vincent Chavez, 41, of Moorpark, pleaded guilty May 18 to felony incest and misdemeanor providing alcohol to a minor. He also admitted that he took advantage of a position of trust and that his daughter, Makayla Settles, was particularly vulnerable. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Dusty Kawai sentenced Chavez on June 23 to one year in county jail and three years of felony probation. Prosecutors had asked the court to impose the maximum sentence of three years in state prison.
Jail records cited by the Ventura County Star show Chavez was released the morning of Nov. 9, about five months and three weeks after he was taken into custody following his guilty plea. Joey Buttitta, a spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, said California law allows eligible defendants to earn custody credits that can reduce the time they actually spend in jail by 50%. Prosecutors opposed the one-year sentence when it was imposed.
The criminal case stemmed from events in July 2025, when Settles was staying with Chavez at his home in Moorpark after moving from North Carolina. Prosecutors said Chavez and his daughter had been drinking at a family gathering before Chavez purchased additional alcohol for them to consume at his residence. He then engaged in sexual intercourse with her. Settles was 18 at the time.
Settles died by suicide in December 2025, about five months after the incident. Her death intensified scrutiny of the case and prompted relatives to publicly question why Chavez had not faced a rape charge. Before Chavez entered his guilty pleas, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko ordered a broad review of whether additional charges could legally be filed.
The district attorney’s office said investigators conducted additional interviews and reviewed forensic testing, medical evaluations and electronic evidence. Ten prosecutors examined the evidence, and the office also consulted experienced prosecutors and outside legal experts. The review concluded that incest was the only felony charge supported by the applicable law, facts and admissible evidence. Chavez ultimately pleaded guilty rather than proceeding to trial.
At sentencing, members of Settles’ family addressed the court and described the impact of Chavez’s conduct and their daughter’s death. Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty argued that Chavez had exploited his position as a father and violated his daughter’s trust. Prosecutors maintained that a state prison sentence was warranted, but the court imposed the shorter county jail term along with probation.
According to court records cited by the Ventura County Star, Chavez’s probation conditions include restrictions on drugs and alcohol, contact with Settles’ family and friends, possession of firearms and pornography, and searches of electronic devices. He is also required to register as a sex offender for 20 years. His three-year felony probation period continues following his release from custody.
Settles’ mother, Carolina Sandoval, has continued to criticize the punishment. She told the Ventura County Star that learning of Chavez’s release brought renewed pain to the family. Sandoval also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Chavez in June. A hearing in that civil case was scheduled for Nov. 20, according to the newspaper.
Chavez is no longer in county jail, but his criminal sentence remains active through felony probation and the registration requirement. The district attorney’s office has said it continues to stand by its request for the longer prison sentence while also maintaining that its review found no additional felony charge that could be supported by the admissible evidence.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2026.