A former sheriff’s deputy from Fresno, California, was found guilty of abusing a child. It only came about after the father of the child placed a hidden camera in her room.
Former Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Rex Garcia was on trial earlier this week on molestation charges, and he gave a firm denial of the charges, ABC30 reported. The channel reported that he was found guilty of long-term child molestation.
The girl previously accused Garcia, her step-grandfather, in court, the Fresno Bee reported. He faces as many as 16 years in prison during the sentencing.
Former sheriff’s deputy Rex Garcia now on the witness stand in the child molestation case against him.
This morning, his wife testified and 5 of their friends came in as character witnesses to support him. @ABC30 pic.twitter.com/t2y1iyvwo2— Corin Hoggard (@corinhoggard) December 12, 2017
Garcia married his wife Josephine in 2000, and he lived with her, her mother, her son, and his daughter in a three-bedroom home in Fresno.
ABC30 reported that the father said that his teen daughter told him. “She told me, she goes ‘Dad, Papa’s been touching me,’” the father said of her step-grandfather, who as affectionately called “Papa.”
The father feared no one would believe Garcia was capable of the abuse, which lasted years, as he was a convicted thief, and Garcia is a former police officer.
He then placed a hidden camera in the bedroom to get proof, reported Dearly.com.
Rex Garcia walks into court for the verdict in his child molestation case. A friend tried to block my camera. Garcia told her not to do it. @ABC30 pic.twitter.com/btOdvcbhsZ
— Corin Hoggard (@corinhoggard) December 13, 2017
#NEW: Rex Garcia, accused of molesting step-granddaughter, arrives to court. @corinhoggard is in courtroom where verdict is expected to be announced soon pic.twitter.com/iiQJqEOaaE
— Cory James (@CoryABC30) December 13, 2017
A video from 2015 apparently showed him going into her room at night while she slept before he abused her. “He came in and he sat on the edge of the bed and then got up and walked out,” the father said.
Two nights later, Garcia went back the room, which was captured on camera. The father then went to the police with the evidence.
Rex Garcia guilty! https://t.co/TFp7CYFQgt
— pablo lopez (@beecourts) December 13, 2017
“Look at those videos. Doesn’t show anything nefarious. Nothing at all,” Garcia’s defense attorney, Antonio Alvarez, argued.
“Pretty simple,” Garcia said. “I’m trying to adjust. She’s got two or three blankets and I’m trying to adjust the blankets.”
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