Illegal immigrant receives five years for sexual misconduct
November 3, 2009

A 20-year-old illegal immigrant was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor.

Jenrry Yovany Zavala had been charged with rape and criminal confinement. He also was charged with sexual misconduct as a class A felony, but the state amended the charge to a class C felony.

In July 2008, a Hanover man called 911 to report that his niece had been kidnapped by a family member from their residence there. The caller led police to an alley behind East 18th Street in New Albany, where they found Zavala in a bedroom with the 14-year-old. The girl reportedly told police that he took her against her will and forced her to have sex with him.

There was some confusion as prosecutors alleged the victim was Zavala’s relative, but Zavala told Cody at an initial hearing after his arrest that the 14-year-old was his girlfriend and not related to him.

Zavala, who is from Honduras, also told the judge at the time that he did not have a permit to be in the country legally.

A plea agreement was reached last month, and Cody accepted the agreement Tuesday.

Authorities have said Zavala will be deported after he serves his time at the Indiana Department of Correction.

Prosecutors and Zavala’s public defender, J. Patrick Biggs, were not immediately available for comment after the hearing.

http://www.newsandtribune.com/local/loc ... 10853.html