Courtesy Orange County District Attorney's Office Professional clown Jose Guadalupe Jimenez, of Anaheim, Calif., was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Wednesday for the 2002 rape of a 12-year-old girl.

A professional clown was sentenced to 10 years in state prison on Wednesday, after DNA evidence matched the Southern California man to the 2002 rape of a minor.

Jose Guadalupe Jimenez, of Anaheim, Calif., was dressed as a clown when he raped a 12-year-old girl on the night of Jan. 19, 2002. Police in Fullerton say Jimenez kidnapped the girl outside a Taco Bell and took her to a school parking lot, where he raped her. The victim was then taken to a hotel and molested, but she was eventually able to escape.

At the time, the only description of the rapist was a male Latino in a clown mask who was wearing clown makeup, the Los Angeles Times reported. With the help of DNA evidence last year, officials were finally able to tie Jimenez to the 2002 kidnap and rape. Fullerton police arrested him on March 25, 2011.

Jimenez, now 43 years old, pleaded guilty in court to one felony count of lewd acts upon a child under 14 and one felony count of forcible lewd act on a child under 14.

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The Orange County district attorney's office said in a press release Wednesday that Jimenez went by the name of "El Tin Marin" as a professional clown. His occupation also "regularly allowed him access to children."

Jimenez must register as a sex offender for life.

"The negotiated plea was a result of the totality of the evidence of the case, availability of witnesses, and wishes of the victim," according to the district attorney's office.

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