O.C. man held in girl’s rape, impregnation

A Garden Grove man has been charged with raping a 13-year-old who became pregnant.

Francisco Jardon Richardo, 38, was being held on $1-million bail. He faces three felony sex counts that could lead to life in prison if convicted, the Orange County district attorney’s office said.

Prosecutors said Richardo raped the girl sometime between Feb. 27 and March 2 and told her not to tell anyone. Authorities said she was taken to a medical clinic complaining of nausea and stomach problems. An examination revealed she was two months pregnant.

The charges against Richardo include incest, aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 and lewd acts upon a child under 14 causing great bodily injury. He was arrested April 30 and is expected to be arraigned today.

A Garden Grove police spokesman said Richardo, a house painter and laborer, had no felony convictions.

“What happened to her is as traumatic as anything that a young girl can experience,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Kal Kaliban said. “But she’s doing pretty well under the circumstances.”