Man gets life in prison for raping and impregnating 10-year-old girl who got abortion

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio (TCD) -- A 28-year-old man pleaded guilty this week to raping a 10-year-old girl who got pregnant and traveled out of state to have an abortion.

Franklin County Court records show Gerson Fuentes pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was sentenced to life in prison as a result. The Indianapolis Star reports Fuentes is required to spend at least 25 years behind bars, which was part of the plea deal he made with prosecutors.

NBC News reports Judge Julie Lynch said at the hearing, "If that family hadn’t begged me to take this joint recommendation, this would never be happening."

She reportedly said sentencing him to parole was a "very hard pill for this Court to swallow."

Fuentes' indictment said the girl was 9 years old when he raped her twice. A DNA test reportedly showed a 99.99% chance that Fuentes was the father of the victim’s child.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Fuentes, who is from Colombia, could be deported if he gets parole after 25 years. However, he must register as a sex offender for life. Fuentes was reportedly the victim’s mother’s boyfriend.

The victim traveled to Indiana for the abortion because Ohio banned abortion after six weeks when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer. The Indianapolis Star reported at the time the victim was six weeks and three days pregnant.

MORE:

• State of Ohio vs. Gerson Fuentes
• Man who raped 10-year-old pleads guilty, given minimum 25 year prison sentence - Indianapolis Star
• Man sentenced to life in prison for rape of 10-year-old who sought abortion in Indiana - NBC News
• Patients head to Indiana for abortion services as other states restrict care, 7/1/2022 - Indianapolis Star