| For Immediate Release Case # 09CF3141 March 21, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
MAN FACES TRIAL FOR CHRISTMAS EVE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF 8-YEAR-OLD FEMALE RELATIVE INCLUDING ORAL COPULATION AND RAPE AND/OR SODOMY
SANTA ANA – A man faces trial tomorrow for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old female relative, including oral copulation and rape and/or sodomy, on Christmas Eve while family members slept in other rooms. Jorge Miguel Gallegos, 38, Santa Ana, is charged with three felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child and one felony count each of sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child, lewd acts on a child under 14, and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. He also faces sentencing enhancement allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child. If convicted, Gallegos faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, Thursday, March 22, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. in Department C-36, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
At approximately 11:00 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2009, Gallegos is accused of taking his 8-year-old female relative, Jane Doe, into the kitchen of his Santa Ana home after other family members had gone to sleep. He is accused of sexually assaulting the child including sodomizing and/or raping and orally copulating her. The defendant’s wife walked into the kitchen and witnessed the molestation.
Gallegos is accused of ripping the telephone from the wall and threatening his wife not to tell anyone about the sexual assault. The defendant is accused of then fleeing the scene and going to a friend’s house. Gallegos’ wife called 911 and the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) responded to the scene. Gallegos was arrested shortly thereafter, in the early morning hours of Dec. 25, 2009.
A subsequent investigation by SAPD revealed a second unreported sexual assault from a prior occasion. On one other occasion between September and December 2009, Gallegos is accused of sexually assaulting Jane Doe in his home including the same conduct as on Christmas Eve.
Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.
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