Jury says Sandoval is "Arroyo Molester"

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Genaro Sandoval is the "Arroyo Molester" who sexually assault an 11-year-old boy near an Albuquerque school in 2003, a District Court jury ruled Wednesday afternoon.

Prosecutors said a DNA match led to Sandoval's arrest in 2007.

In addition to criminal sexual penetration, Sandoval also was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, sexual exploitation of a child under 13 and kidnapping but not guilty of bribery for allegedly offering the child money to keep quiet.

"I think for the victim, this means a sense of closure," said Kayla Anderson, spokesperson for the District Attorney's office.  "He will never regain what was lost several years ago, but we hope he feels some measure of justice was served and that he's able to take that to heart."

Sandoval is suspected of a series of sex attacks in northeast Albuquerque arroyos from 2003-2005 and is charged in four additional cases that have yet to go to trial.

The boy in the 2003 attack testified Friday and identified Sandoval as the man who assaulted him at gunpoint in the cement-lined Embudito Arroyo.

The defense challenged both the handling of the DNA evidence--a sample taken from the boy's clothing--and the victim not identifying Sandoval as his attacker until after the trial began.

Defense attorney Joseph Riggs said he did not call any witnesses to Sandoval's defense because he did not feel the state's case was strong enough against him.

"We thought there were lots of flaws with the DNA and the way APD investigated the case," he said.  "On the other hand, it's difficult to overcome DNA."

In July 2011 Sandoval rejected a plea deal that would have resolved the cases with a prison sentence of up to 54 years.

Sandoval's trial began two weeks ago and went to the jury late Tuesday afternoon.  The jury foreman reported a verdict had been reach shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday.