EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 57-year-old man was found guilty by a jury in Las Cruces of sexually assaulting a girl multiple times over several years, according to a news release sent out by the Office of the Third Judicial District Attorney on Monday, Sept. 18.
Pedro Orrantia was found guilty of two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor, seven counts of criminal sexual penetration and one count of bribery of a witness and intimidation of a witness.
The investigation into the allegations of the sexual assault was led by the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators learned the incidents began when the girl was 7 years old and went on for over a 5-year span, according to the Las Cruces DA’s office.
The victim reported the abuse to her mother in a letter, stating that the sexual assaults happened when her mother was at work and that she was scared to tell her mother because she said Orrantia would hit and threaten to kill her.
Orrantia was arrested in April 2020. In May of 2022, he was tried in Third District Court, and a mistrial was declared because of jury disagreement, according to the DA’s Office.
Sentencing will be held at a later date, with Orrantia facing over 100 years in prison.
