San Antonio, Texas, February 13, 2018: Last week, a Bexar County Jury in the 227th
District Court found Benjamin Escobedo, age 46, guilty of one count of
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, one count of Sexual Assault of a Child and
two counts of Indecency with a Child by Contact for abusing two girls ages 12
and 15. Escobedo will be sentenced by Judge Kevin O’Connell next month.
Escobedo,
who was the boyfriend of the girl’s mother, lived with the two girls, but was
not their biological father. In February 2015, the girls’ older brother, heard
Escobedo entering the girls’ bedroom and thought that this was suspicious. He
followed Escobedo into the bedroom and saw the defendant kneel down and reach
across the bed towards the younger sister. The girls’ brother told their mom
what he had seen and their mom confronted the older sister. When asked about the incident, the girl began
to cry and told her mother that Escobedo had been sexually abusing her. The
younger sister originally said nothing had happened and that Escobedo had never
sexually assaulted her; about a month later, however, she also admitted to
being victimized by Escobedo.
During
trial, both girls testified about the sexual assaults and told jurors they were
gaining strength and getting stronger in telling their stories about what
happened. One of the sisters said she wants
to help others who are too scared to come forward.
During
closing arguments, prosecutors asked the jury to find Escobedo guilty. “I want
you to use logic, use your common sense,” said Assistant District Attorney Leo
Gonzalez. “If you believe them beyond a reasonable doubt, I am asking you to
find him guilty, because he is guilty.”
Assistant
District Attorneys Leo Gonzalez and Marissa Giovenco from the District
Attorney’s Special Crimes Division prosecuted this case against Escobedo in the
227th District Court.
Continuous
Sexual Abuse of a Child is a first degree felony, with an enhanced punishment
punishable by 25 years to life in prison and up to a $10,000.00 fine. Sexual
Assault of a Child and Indecency with a Child by Contact are both second degree
felonies punishable by 2 to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice.