Iowa City man faces 4 life sentences for sex abuse of two children

IOWA CITY — An Iowa City man was convicted this week for sexually assaulting two children in 2019 and faces four life sentences in prison without possibility of parole.

Two girls, ages 9 and 12 when the abuse occurred, gave emotional testimony as they provided graphic details of the multiple sex acts forced upon them by Jorge Maldonado, 30.

Both children, who were in another courtroom from the jury, gave testimony over closed-circuit television.

The only ones in that courtroom during their testimony was the judge, court reporter, one prosecutor, one defense attorney, a guardian ad litem and an advocate with the University of Iowa’s Rape Victim Advocacy Program.

Maldonado, another prosecutor and defense attorney remained in the main courtroom with the jury.

According to testimony, Maldonado threatened to kill the 12-year-old, her sister and their mother if she told anyone. The girl finally told her mother after December.

The 9-year-old testified about some of the abuse but broke down crying during her testimony.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros allowed the video of a forensic interview with the 9-year-old, conducted at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Child Protection Center, to be played for the jury, in which she provided details of the incidents.

The victims’ mother also said they had been threatened and were all afraid of Maldonado, according to testimony.

The mother, after learning of the abuse, said in order for her and the girls to escape from the man, she told him the 9-year-old was having a diabetes attack and she needed to take the child to the hospital.

According to criminal complaints, the victims told police the sexual abuse happened when their mother was at work. The sexual abuse incidents happened from June 1 through Dec. 31, 2019.

The jury deliberated nearly four hours before finding Maldonado guilty Tuesday of four counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of second-degree sexual abuse.

In order to convict on the first-degree sexual abuse charge, the prosecution had to show evidence of serious injury to the victims.

During the trial, the 12-year-old testified to having mental health injuries. A therapist testified the girl was self-harming — cutting — herself and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Maldonado faces four life sentences on the first-degree convictions and 25 years in prison on the second-degree charges.

Maldonado has a lengthy criminal history with convictions for assaults and domestic abuse in Johnson and Louisa counties, according to court documents.

An official with the 6th Judicial Department of Correctional Services, during a bail review hearing last summer, testified Maldonado also had several assault convictions in Illinois and a conviction for resisting police in Wisconsin.

Maldonado also has a pending case of domestic abuse and child endangerment charges.

According to a criminal complaint, Maldonado was arguing with a woman all day on Dec. 23, 2019. He then started yelling at a 12-year-old girl and when her mother tried to protect her, Maldonado, with a closed fist, punched the woman in her lower back, causing pain in her leg hours later.

He also threatened to kill everyone in the house and burn it down if she called the police, the complaint stated.

That trial is set for Oct. 5.

Sentencing on the sexual abuse convictions hasn’t yet been set.

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