The Honorable Egan Walker has sentenced David Moreno to life in prison, with parole eligibility in 435 years. Moreno was previously found guilty of 11 counts of Sexual Assault on a Child Under 14, four counts of Lewdness with a Child Under 14, one count of Attempted Sexual Assault on a Child Under 14, one count of Child Neglect, one count of Incest, and one count of Dissuading a Witness.
The case against Moreno began when one of his victims, who was known to him, disclosed that the defendant had repeatedly sexually assaulted her when she was a child. During the investigation, a second victim was also discovered.
At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Kristina Rhoades addressed the horrific nature of Moreno’s acts and how he refused to recognize his crimes, saying, “He takes no responsibility, no accountability. Everything is someone else’s fault.” One of the victims also provided a victim impact statement before the court, where she spoke of how she felt as though she was responsible for the abuse that had happened to her. Before announcing the sentence, Judge Walker addressed the victim, sharing that she showed great character and kindness, that he was proud of her for sharing her story, and how she was in no way responsible for the actions of Moreno.
The sentence imposed ensures that Moreno will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will prevent him from victimizing any more children. The sentence structure for all counts is as follows:
- Counts 1-11 (Sexual Assault on a Child Under 14) the maximum 35 years to life, all consecutive
- Count 12 (Incest) the maximum 2 years to life, consecutive
- Counts 13-15, and 17 (Lewdness with a Child Under 14) the maximum 10 years to life, consecutive
- Count 16 (Attempted Sexual Assault on a Child Under 14) the maximum 8 to 20 years, consecutive
- Count 18 (Child Neglect) the maximum 364 days in jail, concurrent
- Count 19 (Dissuading a Witness) the maximum 364 days in jail, concurrent
