A 29-year-old man convicted of raping two girls at knifepoint in Pierce County whereas a part of a seasonal work program from Mexico was sentenced Friday to almost 18 years to life in jail, the excessive finish of his commonplace sentencing vary.
A jury convicted Ricardo Villegas Molina in Could of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree rape and second-degree assault for attacks on two women in October 2022.
Throughout his sentencing listening to earlier than Superior Court Choose Edmund Murphy, deputy prosecuting legal professional Lindsay Chenelia stated Molina focused intercourse employees in Tacoma, girls who she stated are much less more likely to report back to legislation enforcement and fewer more likely to be believed by police, prosecutors and jurors.
“The defendant’s actions are utterly unwarranted, extraordinarily violent, and the state does consider if he have been to get out he’ll commit these crimes once more,” Chenelia stated.
The legal professional described for the court docket the assault {that a} 50-year-old lady endured after Molina picked her up close to Pacific Avenue and 84th Avenue. In keeping with court docket information, Molina drove her to an remoted discipline within the Waller space of Pierce County the night time of Oct. 7, 2022 and parked behind a pile of particles so nobody might see them.
Chenelia stated Molina pulled an 18-inch knife, and the lady ran from the automobile. Molina chased after her and pushed her to the bottom, the place he sexually assaulted her. Chenelia stated Molina kicked the lady and shoved rocks and dust into her physique.
“Someway she managed to combat for her life and get away,” Chenelia stated.
‘Thanks for saving my life.’
The girl addressed the court docket July 12. Molina’s sentencing listening to was scheduled for that day, and Choose Murphy heard the sufferer’s assertion, however the sentencing itself was set over to Friday so court docket paperwork might be translated for Molina, who speaks Spanish.
The Information Tribune sometimes doesn’t title victims of sexual assault. The girl advised the court docket she was homeless and folks deal with her in another way due to that. She stated she wished to thank the choose and the felony justice system for caring about her.
“Thanks for saving my life,” the lady stated. “I assumed for certain I used to be lifeless that night time.”
On Friday, Chenelia requested Choose Murphy to impose the excessive finish of the usual sentencing vary on every depend Molina was sentenced for. She stated the defendant’s actions have been unwarranted, deliberate and “extraordinarily violent.” Lower than a month after the primary assault, Molina raped one other lady Oct. 30, 2022. He first contacted her at a comfort retailer close to 84th Avenue and Pacific Avenue.
Molina drove the lady to a discipline barely south of the primary assault, and in response to court docket information he pulled a knife on the lady and sexually assaulted her. She escaped from the automobile, and prosecutors stated the defendant’s DNA linked him to the assault. Prosecutors stated additionally they had GPS proof that tied him to the incidents.
That lady didn’t testify at trial. In keeping with court docket information, the state was not in a position to get in contact along with her.
Molina was arrested Nov. 2, 2022 in Fife, simply three days earlier than court docket information say he was as a result of return to Mexico. The arrest got here after the Sheriff’s Division confirmed a sketch of the suspect to the proprietor of a farm close to the realm of 1 assault. The proprietor advised deputies he acknowledged the person as a migrant employee after which confirmed them Molina’s automobile, which was parked in a discipline.
An interpreter sat with Molina and his protection legal professional, Kent Underwood, all through Friday’s sentencing listening to. Underwood stated his consumer maintains his innocence, and he requested the court docket to remember inconsistencies the legal professional perceived within the first sufferer’s testimony.
Underwood requested the court docket to impose a sentence on the low finish of the usual sentencing vary on every depend for a complete of 14 years to life in jail.
As a result of Molina was convicted of first-degree rape for the primary assault and first-degree kidnapping within the second assault, each thought of critical violent offenses, he should serve his sentences again to again relatively than on the identical time. Sure intercourse offenses should additionally obtain indeterminate sentences, that means Molina should serve a set period of time earlier than he’s eligible to petition the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board for launch.
Neighborhood custody for all times
After listening to from prosecutors, the protection, two buddies of Molina and the defendant, Choose Murphy imposed 215 months to life in jail. Molina should register as a intercourse offender, and he can be on neighborhood custody for all times. He’s additionally barred from having contact with the victims for all times.
The 2 males who addressed the court docket in help of Molina spoke by an interpreter. They stated they didn’t have information of the person’s case, however they knew him to be a tough employee and a superb pal. The primary man who spoke, Jose Luis Rodriguez Capilla, stated he got here from the identical city as Molina, and so they had recognized one another since they have been youngsters.
He labored with Molina by two seasons as a short lived employee. Molina has two daughters, and Rodriguez Capilla stated it was unhappy to return dwelling to Mexico and listen to Molina’s elder daughter ask the place her father was.
When it was Molina’s flip to deal with the court docket, he stated his rights had been violated for the reason that starting of the case. He took concern with the truth that the 2 incidents have been joined into one case, and he claimed that the sufferer who testified had lied to the court docket. In keeping with prosecutors, the 18-inch knife described within the first assault was not recovered.
“I feel that every one that is unfair,” Molina stated, in response to the interpreter. “I didn’t have a simply and affordable trial, and I need to enchantment.”
Molina additionally described how he believed the jury was biased in opposition to him as a result of one juror had been a sufferer of sexual assault.
“I solely need to be handled effectively and for my rights to be revered. And to not be discriminated just for being Mexican,” Molina stated, in response to the interpreter.
After court docket adjourned, deputy prosecuting legal professional Megan Winder advised The Information Tribune that Molina made lots of statements that she didn’t assume have been in keeping with the proof. The defendant claimed that the second sufferer’s clothes was intact and never torn because the sufferer reported. Winder stated Chenelia held up the clothes for jurors throughout their rebuttal arguments, and it was reduce from backside to prime precisely how the sufferer described it.
Winder stated it was true a sexual assault survivor was on the jury panel, however she stated that wasn’t unusual as a result of the inhabitants as a complete has lots of sexual assault survivors. In selecting a jury, she stated it’s vital to her to search out jurors who’re truthful and neutral.
“Our objective is to not pack the jury in any method, form or kind,” Winder stated. “I feel it’s crucial to be sure that there are individuals who have totally different backgrounds, however a jury of the defendant’s friends.”
