LAS CRUCES – Doña Ana County District Attorney Mark D’Antonio announced Wednesday that Mario Lopez, 61, of Las Cruces, was sentenced to seven months in jail for the Dec. 2015 rape of a family member. Deputy District Attorney Daniel Sewell, the prosecutor in the case, appeared in District Court Wednesday with Lopez’s victim, and both asked District Judge Fernando Macias for the maximum sentence.
A Las Cruces jury convicted Lopez of third-degree Criminal Sexual Penetration on Oct. 6, 2016.
“We are pleased the jury held the defendant in this case accountable for his egregious crime, and we applaud the victim’s courage for testifying in court and at sentencing,” D’Antonio said. “We asked for the maximum sentence of three years, which we felt was appropriate for Mr. Lopez.”
Macias sentenced Lopez to 212 days — which Lopez has already served — followed by 29 months of probation. Lopez will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Information from Third Judicial District Attorney's Office