Man sentenced to 18 years for sexual abuse of child

By J. NOEL ESPINOZA
Special to the NEWS

A San Benito man with a lengthy criminal record will spend nearly two decades behind bars after being convicted in relation to sexual abuse of a child.

Authorities identified the man as Ruben Corona who was sentenced May 30 in the 138th Cameron County District Court.

Cameron County Sheriff Chief Deputy Gus Reyna confirmed that Corona is still at the Carrizales-Rucker Cameron County Detention Center in Olmito.

Chief Deputy Reyna said Corona will not be transferred from the jail in Cameron County until they get a packet, or the paperwork, from the court where he was sentenced.

“Eventually he will,” Reyna said. “Once we receive the packet, then time starts running; the state has 45 days to pick him up.”

Reyna said this case was prepared by San Benito Police.

“It was inside the city,” Reyna said, regarding the illicit incident.

138th District Court Administrator Raul Martinez Jr. said the defendant was convicted of charges that include aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.

A relative of the victim who wished to remain anonymous said Corona has been in trouble with the law for a long time.

In April 1994, at the age of 16, Corona was convicted in the brutal killing of a San Benito woman, Diana Conde, 37.
A second suspect, Joshua Blackstone, 18 at the time, was indicated by Corona as the culprit in the murder. Other witnesses also testified that Corona helped in the murder. Family and law enforcement alike were outraged for the lenient sentence, prompting lawmen to claim that they had never heard of a person convicted for murder receiving probation.

According to Cameron County media, Judge Robert Garza convicted Corona and gave him the maximum sentence allowed by law for probation, including six months in jail, a $5,000 fine ,and 500 hours of community service for his role in the murder.

Garza, at the time judge of the 138th state District Court, the same court that sentenced Corona on May 30 by Judge Arturo Nelson, said that was all he could do. According to reports, Garza admitted at the time that he too was surprised by the jury’s sentence.

After serving six months in jail, Corona was put under surveillance with the possibility of facing up to 10 years in prison if he violated the conditions.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2019/06/14/man-sentenced-to-18-years-for-sexual-abuse-of-child/

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