September 9, 2008


South Fort Myers man sentenced to 15 years for sexual assault of 7-year-old relative


A south Fort Myers man will spend the next 15 years in prison after sexually assaulting a 7-year-old relative.

Filipe Hernandez-Mendoza, 27, pleaded guilty this morning to two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct. Originally charged with capital sexual battery, Hernandez-Mendoza agreed to plead guilty to the two counts instead of going to trial.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of sexual offender probation by Lee Circuit Judge Edward Volz Jr.

According to assistant state attorney Devin George, Hernandez-Mendoza is an illegal immigrant from Mexico and will be deported once he finishes his prison term. She said Hernandez-Mendoza would molest the girl when she visited a family member where he was staying. George said the abuse went back a couple years, but that the girl came forward in 2007.

George said that agreeing to a plea was a better compromise than going to trial.

“In lieu of (the victim’s) testimony and the circumstances, this was a good resolution,â€