Thread: Teen (non-citizen) sex predator' gets 14 years' sob story

Exasperating article. Humberto uses the 'cultural differences' excuse for having sex with a 12 year old whom he thought was 15. So he's already contradicting himself. Although the judge doesn't accept that excuse he is quoted as calling Humberto a 'non-citizen'???? Humberto is playing the system -article says he is taking English and bible classes while in jail. Yet, he still needs an interpreter after two years in the U.S. And finally what job is he doing and how is he living (in a overcrowded house I bet) that he can send $1000 back home to Mexico each month.




Teen sex 'predator' gets 14 years
Judge rejects 'cultural' excuse for assaulting girl
Comments

July 17, 2010
By BETH KRAMER ekramer@stmedianetwork.com

A Park City man's plea deal avoided 120 years in prison for having sex with a 12-year old girl.

Humberto Mendoza-Lopez, 19, admitted to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault for offenses committed between July 1 and Oct. 9, 2009. He cut a deal with the state capping his prison sentence at 20 years.

Mendoza-Lopez appeared before Associate Judge George Bridges for sentencing Friday.

"I wonder what would cause you to come to this country as a non citizen and conduct criminal activity," Bridges said.

Bridges sentenced Mendoza-Lopez to 14 years in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender.

Mendoza-Lopez came to the United States in 2008 and has sent $1,000 to his family in Mexico every month, defense attorney Al Kola said.

"He came to this country to support his family," Kola said. "There are cultural issues. Age difference is not stressed in Mexico."

Kola said that his client came from a rural part of Mexico.

"We don't have a cultural matter. We have a predator," Bridges said.

Mendoza-Lopez was at a mall when he first saw the victim. He thought she was 15, Assistant State's Attorney Matthew DeMartini said.

Even though he pleaded guilty to one count, he admitted that they had sex seven times over the course of three months last year. Mendoza-Lopez was 18 at the time he thought the 12-year-old was 15.

It's still a crime for a legal adult to have sex with a 15-year-old, DeMartini pointed out.

"You're only a child once. Those years go by quickly. Unfortunately, those years of childhood ended when Mendoza decided to make her into an adult," DeMartini said.

DeMartini asked Bridges to impose the maximum sentence and said that Mendoza-Lopez was "already given a break with the 20-year cap."

Kola asked for a lighter sentence, pointing out that his client has no criminal history.

"There is no justification for what Mendoza did, but he took responsibility for his actions," Kola said.

Mendoza-Lopez took English as a second language and Bible classes while he was in custody at the Lake County Jail, Kola said.

Many predatory criminal sexual assault cases involved the defendant abusing a role of authority to assault their victim. This is not what his client did. His client had a relationship with the girl, Kola said.

"I ask for forgiveness. We all have mistakes in our lives," Mendoza-Lopez said through a court interpreter.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... 17.article

interpreter? those english classes are just bs. he'll get out ina few,5-6 years, and do it again. castration would be a far better solution to his "cultural mis-understanding".

Kola asked for a lighter sentence, pointing out that his client has no criminal history.

Bullshit! Hopefully the prison justice system will take care of this scum bag....

Seems to me the parents of the 12 yr girl old should be held accountable too. What parent would leave a 12 yr old unsupervised or unaware something was going on ?

"There are cultural issues. Age difference is not stressed in Mexico."

So if it's okay in Mexico to have sex with a 12 year old, it should be okay here? Remember all those stories about their "good family values"?

We're importing poverty and lawlessness if we don't shut down the border.

This one sounds like a good reason for “Involuntary Castrationâ€

Mendoza-Lopez came to the United States in 2008 and has sent $1,000 to his family in Mexico every month, defense attorney Al Kola said.

Most Americans can't bank $1000 a month but this child predator not only lived in the Chicago area but could send that much back to Mexico?