Defense Requests Child Sex Abuse Defendant’s Passport be Released to Him

By Bersabel Ephrem [former] - February 27, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault |

During a Feb. 24 hearing, the defense asked DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan to release a child sex abuse defendant’s passport.

“Its been about a year and [the defendant] has not been able to go to Guatemala to see his family,” defense attorney, Hannah Claudio said.

According to Claudio, the defendant has children and his 93-year-old sister, who isn’t in great health, in Guatemala who he wants to visit.

“He is not a flight risk,” she said.

The prosecution vehemently objected.

“Right now he is facing charges that are very serious,” the prosecutor said. “He was abusing people in his truck. If convicted he could be sentenced to life in prison.”

The prosecutor said the defendant has a strong incentive to not return if he leaves the country.

According to court documents, the 63-year-old defendant engaged in multiple sexual acts with multiple girls between the ages of 9-13 from 2004 to 2010.

According to court documents, the sexual assaults took place while his spouse, who ran an in-home daycare at their apartment, would leave the kids with the defendant for a number of hours.

Judge Raffinan said she is not prepared to make a decision but will make a ruling at the next scheduled hearing on March 31.

She asked the defense to file the motion for the defendants passport to be released to him by March 6 and the prosecution must respond by March 20.