Georgina Imelda Ruiz-Bojorquez

A former Santa Maria daycare provider who was accused of torturing young children received a five-year prison sentence on Wednesday, but was then freed from custody because of credits she accumulated for time spent in jail and good behavior.

However, her freedom was short-lived. Following her sentencing hearing, U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Georgina Imelda Ruiz-Bojorquez and booked her into the Adelanto Detention Center, a privately operated federal prison in San Bernardino County, according to Lauren mack, ICE public information officer.

In Feb. 2015, Santa Maria police officers arrested Ruiz-Bojorquez at her home in Santa Maria on charges of torture and child abuse. Ruiz-Bojorquez tortured and abused three young children between 1997 and 2004.

Following Ruiz-Bojorquez’s arrest, Santa Maria Police Lt. Paul Van Meel said in addition to the alleged torture, there were more recent, repeated allegations of physical abuse of young children. Van Meel also said investigators believed it was likely that other victims and witnesses had not been identified.

Ruiz-Bojorquez had pleaded not guilty to a host of charges and was headed for trial in November, but on Monday she reached a plea deal with prosecutors. The former daycare provider pleaded no contest to attempted torture, and prosecutors dropped other charges, including torture and child abuse.

She is now in federal custody pending an immigration hearing.