San Juan man to serve 20 years for sexually assaulting two children

SAN JUAN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A San Juan man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios.

On Monday, Luis Martin Ortiz, 36, plead guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child by sexual contact.

Ortiz was sentenced in the 370^th District Court by Judge Noe Gonzalez.

On Oct. 28, 2021, officials at a local school notified the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office that a minor made an outcry of sexual abuse against Ortiz.

_{Luis Martin Ortiz (Hidalgo County DA)}

The child reported being sexually abused for a span of eight years beginning at age 6. During the investigation, it was found that Ortiz also sexually abused another child. The second child told authorities that Ortiz sexually abused her when she was 7.

The children were interviewed by a forensic interviewer and underwent a sexual assault examination where they made consistent outcries detailing the sexual abuse by Ortiz that occurred within a residence in San Juan, a release from the Hidalgo County DA's office stated.

“Ortiz subjected innocent children to unimaginable horrors and deserves the harsh punishment that was imposed on him,” Palacios said. “I urge members of the community to remain vigilant and report any incident to law enforcement when you suspect a child may be in danger.”