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Fernando Ramirez Found Guilty of Criminal Sexual Penetration of a Minor and Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor for the Rape of his Family Member

Albuquerque, NM – Today a jury found Fernando Ramirez guilty of one count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, and one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor. Ramirez is guilty of raping his nine year old family member while he was staying overnight with her and her father in November of 2018. 

As said in closing statements made by Senior Trial Attorney Rebekah Reyes, “There is no dispute about what happened that night. Fernando Ramirez took advantage of his young family member, then making her a victim.” 

The trial lasted two days with the jury coming to a verdict in less than two hours. Ramirez is facing a mandatory minimum of 18 years in prison, with the possibility of up to 33 years in prison. However, Judge Jennifer Wernersbach refused the State’s request to immediately order the defendant into custody pending sentencing. 

“Anyone who takes advantage of our most vulnerable group, let alone a child, should be taken out of our society,” said District Attorney Raúl Torrez. “I want to thank the staff at Para Los Ninos and at the Family Advocacy Center for their work on this case and the many other cases of sexual assault that take place within our community. My team of prosecutors, paralegals and victim advocates did an excellent job bringing justice to the victim and her family.”