MONROE - A Mexican national who has lived in the area five years will be deported back to Mexico after he serves a three-year sentence on convictions of third-degree sexual assault and exposing genitals to a child.
Antonio Gonzalez Robles, 26, was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday, April 19, in Green County Circuit Court. He has 224 days of sentence credit from his time in jail since he was charged last September, so he will actually be spending less than two and a half years in prison before his deportation.
The criminal complaint alleges he had vaginal and anal intercourse with a young girl at a residence in rural Brodhead, in the N3100 block of County OK. The assaults reportedly started in 2008, about a month before the girl's fourth birthday and continued regularly until last summer.
He pleaded no contest in early February under the Alford plea - meaning, in effect, he does not admit guilt but concedes the state could present sufficient evidence to convince a judge or jury to find him guilty.
The Alford plea was a way to avoid putting the girl through the rigors of a jury trial. His attorney, Miguel Michel, also said he doubted a jury would have sided with Gonzalez Robles since there isn't a large Hispanic population in Green County.
"It would not have been a jury of his own peers," Michel said. He also contended there is a lack of physical evidence to back up the girl's allegation of assaults.
"There were no acute injuries," he said, adding that this is notable for such a young girl.
But Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Kohl said the girl was consistent with investigators in her accusations.
"Her story is credible," Kohl said. He recommended six and a half years in prison for Gonzalez Robles.
Michel recommended probation and jail time, citing an independent investigation into the defendant's character and his likelihood of recidivism. The investigation was conducted by Juan Guerrero, a former probation and parole officer with the Department of Correction who is now a private investigator and therapist with Lutheran Social Services.
Guerrero said Gonzalez Robles has no criminal history and, based on psychological tests, shows a low risk for reoffending.
Judge Thomas Vale rejected the defense's proposal for probation, saying it would depreciate the gravity of the offense "by a long shot." He said Gonzalez Robles' ethnicity played no role in his consideration and it was far from his mind as he read through the reports on the case.
He based his sentence on the facts, he said: "It is imposed because an 8-year-old girl was violated."
Antonio Gonzalez Robles, 26, was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday, April 19, in Green County Circuit Court. He has 224 days of sentence credit from his time in jail since he was charged last September, so he will actually be spending less than two and a half years in prison before his deportation.
The criminal complaint alleges he had vaginal and anal intercourse with a young girl at a residence in rural Brodhead, in the N3100 block of County OK. The assaults reportedly started in 2008, about a month before the girl's fourth birthday and continued regularly until last summer.
He pleaded no contest in early February under the Alford plea - meaning, in effect, he does not admit guilt but concedes the state could present sufficient evidence to convince a judge or jury to find him guilty.
The Alford plea was a way to avoid putting the girl through the rigors of a jury trial. His attorney, Miguel Michel, also said he doubted a jury would have sided with Gonzalez Robles since there isn't a large Hispanic population in Green County.
"It would not have been a jury of his own peers," Michel said. He also contended there is a lack of physical evidence to back up the girl's allegation of assaults.
"There were no acute injuries," he said, adding that this is notable for such a young girl.
But Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Kohl said the girl was consistent with investigators in her accusations.
"Her story is credible," Kohl said. He recommended six and a half years in prison for Gonzalez Robles.
Michel recommended probation and jail time, citing an independent investigation into the defendant's character and his likelihood of recidivism. The investigation was conducted by Juan Guerrero, a former probation and parole officer with the Department of Correction who is now a private investigator and therapist with Lutheran Social Services.
Guerrero said Gonzalez Robles has no criminal history and, based on psychological tests, shows a low risk for reoffending.
Judge Thomas Vale rejected the defense's proposal for probation, saying it would depreciate the gravity of the offense "by a long shot." He said Gonzalez Robles' ethnicity played no role in his consideration and it was far from his mind as he read through the reports on the case.
He based his sentence on the facts, he said: "It is imposed because an 8-year-old girl was violated."