On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, Judge Elliott A. Sattler sentenced John Cervantes to 16-40 years in prison for sexual crimes he committed against a female relative beginning when she was 7-8 years old.
The victim, now 15 years old, reported the abuse in August 2014. A multi-disciplinary team, coordinated through the Washoe County Child Advocacy Center, investigated the case. The team included authorities from the Reno Police Department Child Abuse Unit, Washoe County Social Services and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office.
The defendant entered a guilty plea to two counts of attempted sexual assault on October 14, 2014.
Sattler, of the Second Judicial District Court, followed the state’s recommendation and sentenced the defendant to serve 8-20 years on each count, to run consecutively, for a total of 16-40 years in the Nevada Department of Corrections. This is the maximum sentence allowed by law.
SOURCE: Washoe County .
