The Ohio man accused of raping and impregnating a 10-year-old girl – who then sought an abortion in Indiana – was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.  One year after the young girl’s out-of-state abortion made national headlines, Gerson Fuentes, 28, pleaded to one count of rape of a child under 10 and one count of rape in Franklin County Court on Wednesday. Fuentes originally pleaded not guilty after being arrested last July.

Franklin County Prosecutor Dan Meyer said at the hearing that prosecutors and defense recommended a combined sentence of life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Fuentes will also be a lifetime registered sex offender upon release. Judge Julie Lynch sentenced Fuentes to the recommended sentence “without comment,” per the child’s family’s wishes.

The story gained national attention when the victim was taken across state lines because of questions about whether she could legally obtain an abortion in Ohio. The young girl’s abortion was sought shortly after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned national protection of abortion rights. Medical records indicated that the child underwent an abortion in Indiana on June 30, 2022. By July 2, Columbus police were at the Indianapolis hospital to investigate the girl’s pregnancy, prosecutor Daniel Lenert said at the hearing.

Police say that Fuentes confessed to raping the girl twice when she was 9 years old, and DNA evidence confirmed that Fuentes was responsible.  Fuentes may be subject to deportation, as he is not a U.S. citizen.

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