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North Liberty man convicted of sexually abusing 10-year-old child
Espinal faces up to 50 years on both charges
Feb. 16, 2024 1:52 pm
IOWA CITY — A Johnson County jury convicted a North Liberty man this week for sexually abusing a 10-year-old child in 2017.
Wilmer Garcia Espinal, 22, was found guilty Wednesday of two charges of second-degree sexual abuse. He was acquitted of the third charge of second-degree sexual abuse. The jury deliberated about 30 minutes.
According to trial testimony, he sexually abused the 10-year-old girl in an Iowa City residence on Aug. 22, 2017. Garcia Espinal was 16 years old at the time.
The girl provided a detailed account of the sexual abuse on that date and about other incidents during a forensic interview at UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Child Protection Center. The girl also said Garcia Espinal sent her a message asking her to be his girlfriend.
According to a search warrant affidavit, the girl had been sexually abused by Garcia Espinal from the time she was 8 to 10 years old.
During an interview with police, Garcia Espinal corroborated the victim's comments on the messages, but claimed the context was different, according to a criminal complaint. He said he was never with the victim at the location of the assault and had only been there one time in passing.
Photo evidence from the night of the assault showed the girl and Garcia Espinal together, the complaint stated. Additionally, metadata showed the girl’s cellphone took a photo of Garcia Espinal at the residence where the assault occurred.
According to court documents in this case, Garcia Espinal at age 16, was adjudicated — convicted — in juvenile court in 2017 for third-degree sexual abuse, assault causing bodily injury, assault and third-degree harassment. He was sentenced to the State Training School in Eldora and unsuccessfully completed a sexual abuse and rehabilitation program after leaving the school at age 18.
Garcia Espinal faces up to 50 years in prison. His sentencing is set for April 19 in Johnson County District Court.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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