Benque Viejo man guilty of Carnal Knowledge

A Benque Viejo resident accused of child molestation has been convicted of the crime. It took the jury less than two hours to find thirty-two year old Raul Rivero guilty of the Carnal Knowledge of a ten year old girl. During trial, the victim, who is now twelve years old, took the stand and told the court that on the morning of August seventh 2005 she went to use the outhouse but when she got to the door, Rivero pushed her inside, taped her mouth, tied her hands and then had sex with her. The doctor who examined the minor later that day, testified that she found evidence consistent with the allegation. But the accused maintained his innocence throughout the case, going so far as calling a friend to the stand to support his alibi that he was playing basketball at the time of the attack. The jury didn’t buy his story and after the guilty verdict was announced, Justice Herbert Lord opted to defer sentencing until next Monday to give Rivero time to prepare his mitigation plea. The accused was undefended during trial while Crown Counsel Douglas Carr prosecuted the case.