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Judge rejects plea agreement for man accused of sex abuse
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Posted on May 23 2012
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja has rejected a proposed plea agreement that the government offered a 52-year-old man facing two criminal cases, including sex abuse of four different child victims.
Naraja said he feels the plea agreement entered by Alejandre M. Manzo is unjust because it dismisses all of the child sexual abuse charges.
“Excusing [Manzo] of all five charged sexual offenses allegedly committed against four different child victims would contravene the law and public policy,” said Naraja.
He noted that Manzo was charged in a 2011 criminal case with five counts of child abuse in the second degree, each count allowing a prison sentence of up to 10 years and fine of up to $10,000.
“These severe sanctions are provided by the new law, Public Law 12-82, which represent the will and sentiment of the people of the community that there will be no tolerance for sex crimes committed against children,” the judge said.
The new law, he added, imposed harsher sentences because the previous “code sections dealing with sex crimes [did] not provide penalties which are severe enough to ensure the protection of the community or to adequately deter persons from engaging in the prohibited conduct.”
“There is a great concern that approving the proposed settlement agreement will undermine our community’s campaign against child abuse,” Naraja said.
Aside from the five counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree, the government also charged Manzo in the same criminal case with four counts of disturbing the peace.
In the second case, the government charged him with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (domestic violence), and one count of disturbing the peace.
Under the proposed plea agreement, Manzo would plead guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. In exchange for his guilty plea, the Office of the Attorney General will drop the charge of disturbing the peace in one case and all nine counts in the second case.
The OAG agreed to a one-year prison term for Manzo, with credit for time already served in jail.
