Sex offender who recorded abuse faces 1,882 years in prison
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – The jury’s out in a child sex case that could lead to the longest punishment in California history.
Forty-two-year-old Cornelio Jimenez, of Fresno, was found guilty of numerous child molestation and child pornography charges.
A Fresno County jury found Jimenez guilty of 34 felony counts of lewd acts on a minor, one felony count of possession of more than 600 images of child pornography and one felony count of producing child pornography.
Jimenez, who is a registered sex offender, was charged with sexually assaulting two female victims, ages four and seven. The acts occurred over a one-year period from June 2014 to June 2015; they were the children of the family he was living with. Jimenez recorded some of molestations which led to the child pornography charges.
“There’s this very cute little 4-year-old girl that I babysit about once a week,” prosecutors Deborah Miller said, quoting one of Jimenez’s emails. “I have hella pictures of her. I have to molest her every chance I get.”
Jimenez was also charged with having a prior “Strike” conviction for Attempted Child Molestation from the State of Washington in 1997.
He reportedly turned down an offer of 75 years to life before trial.
Jimenez faces a sentence of up to 1,882 years to life in prison. However, upon reaching the age of 60 and after serving 25 years, Jimenez will be eligible for release under the Elderly Parole Program.