Man described as serial rapist gets 15 years instead of 23

The Office of the Attorney General has agreed to lower to 15 years the 23-year prison sentence imposed in 2012 on Anthony Raymond Mendiola Camacho, a habitual offender described by the prosecution as a serial rapist who kidnapped and sexually terrorized his latest victim.

Assistant attorney general Teresita J. Sablan, counsel for Department of Corrections Commissioner Robert A. Guerrero, agreed to the change in Camacho’s sentence with Camacho’s counsel, Richard W. Pierce.

Sablan and Pierce agreed that Camacho received ineffective assistance of counsel during the plea bargaining stage in the case and that habeas relief is warranted.

Attorney Stephen Woodruff used to serve as Camacho’s counsel.

Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman accepted the parties’ agreement yesterday.

In his order for final judgment, Wiseman sentenced Camacho to a total of 23 years and six months, with credit for time served of 81 days as of May 14, 2012.

Wiseman said Camacho shall serve the mandatory sentence of 15 years without parole. The judge said the remaining eight years and six months shall be suspended.

After completing the prison term, Camacho will be placed on probation for eight years and six months.

Wiseman said the modification concedes that Camacho has served time under the original sentence and he shall receive credit for it.

On Feb. 23, 2012, with the jury trial on its third day and the prosecution still having two witnesses to call, Camacho interrupted the proceedings to plead guilty to kidnapping, sexual assault in the first degree, attempted sexual assault in the first degree, and disturbing the peace.

On May 14, 2012, Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo slapped Camacho with a sentence of 23 years and six months.

Govendo ordered the then-38-year-old Camacho to serve the mandatory sentence of 15 years without parole, with credit for the 81 days he had already served in jail.

Camacho, through then new counsel, Pierce, filed a petition for habeas corpus. The defense argued that Camacho received ineffective assistance of then-counsel Woodruff.

The prosecution at the time described Camacho as a serial rapist and recommended a life sentence or the maximum of 55 years and six months. Woodruff recommended the mandatory maximum of 15 years, subject to parole.

At the sentencing in 2012, Govendo noted Camacho’s voluminous criminal history, including an attack on a 15-year-old girl, two rape cases, and an attempted rape.

In the current case, Govendo said Camacho tried to rape the victim but only succeeded in groping her.

Police said Camacho asked the victim to bring him to a secluded area in As Matuis where he threatened to kill her before trying to rape her inside her car on Feb. 23, 2011. The woman managed to escape after she hit him in the left eye with the car key, forcing him to go down from the vehicle and giving her the chance to drive off.