A California father who admitted to having sexual intercourse with his biological daughter after supplying her with alcohol is expected to walk free after spending approximately five months behind bars. His impending release has prompted renewed criticism in a case involving his daughter, Makayla Settles, who died by suicide in December 2025.

Stephen Vincent Chavez, 41, is scheduled to leave Ventura County Jail on 9 November, according to inmate records cited in recent reports. His release comes less than a year after his daughter, Makayla Settles, died by suicide in December 2025, months after the sexual abuse.

The case has raised difficult questions about sentencing, accountability and the protections available to victims of sexual abuse within their own families.

How Makayla Settles Ended Up Living With Her Father

Settles was 18 when she moved from North Carolina to Moorpark, Southern California, in July 2025, hoping to begin a new chapter in her life while living with her biological father.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the abuse occurred after the pair attended a family gathering where they consumed alcohol.

Chavez subsequently purchased additional alcohol for himself and his daughter to drink at his home.

'After a day of drinking at a family gathering, Chavez purchased additional alcohol for him and his daughter to drink at home,' prosecutors said. 'Chavez then engaged in sexual intercourse with her.'

Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty said Settles had trusted her father to look after her after relocating across the country.

'[Chavez] violated this trust and shattered the father-daughter relationship in an unimaginable way,' McCarty said.

Settles died by suicide on 28 December 2025. Although her death followed the incident by several months, the available information does not establish a definitive medical or legal finding that the abuse caused her suicide.

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What Chavez Admitted in Court

Chavez pleaded guilty on 18 May 2026 to one felony count of incest and one misdemeanour count of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

He also admitted exploiting his position of trust and that his daughter was particularly vulnerable at the time of the offence.

Before the plea, prosecutors conducted an extensive investigation into whether additional charges, including rape, could be pursued.

The review involved multiple interviews, further forensic testing, medical evaluations and an examination of electronic evidence.

After reviewing the evidence with experienced sexual assault prosecutors, the district attorney's office concluded that incest was the only felony charge supported by the law, facts and admissible evidence.

Why His Release Has Sparked Outrage

Prosecutors had requested the maximum available sentence of three years in state prison, arguing that Chavez had exploited his parental position and violated his daughter's trust.

However, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Dusty Kawai sentenced him on 23 June to one year in county jail and three years of felony probation.

The court also ordered him to register as a sex offender for 20 years.

The district attorney's office expressed disappointment with the sentence, maintaining that a state prison term was warranted.

'We continue to believe a state prison sentence was warranted under the facts of this case,' McCarty said following the sentencing.

Chavez's expected release after approximately five months in custody has brought renewed attention to the disparity between the sentence sought by prosecutors and the punishment ultimately imposed.

Several members of Settles' family addressed the court during sentencing, giving victim impact statements about the lasting trauma caused by Chavez's actions and her death.

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