A former police officer from Mexico, who was in the United States illegally, was sentenced Wednesday to 72 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting one Aurora woman and attempting to sexually assault a second victim.
Ricardo Corral-Venegas, 27, was found guilty by an Arapahoe County jury on Dec. 6 of multiple charges, according to the district attorney’s office.
District Judge Jeffrey Holmes sentenced Corral-Venegas to 32 years for sex assault, 16 years for kidnapping, 16 years for burglary, four years for attempted sex assault and four years for attempted burglary, according to a news release. The various concurrent and consecutive sentences resulted in 72 years.
“The rape and attempted sexual assault of these victims at the hands of an evil serial rapist is a direct consequence of the failure of our federal government to secure our southern border,” District Attorney George Brauchler said in the release from his office. “This malicious coward had already been deported once before skipping back across our border on his way to victimize mothers in our community. And who pays for this ongoing failure to protect our borders? The victims of his rape spree do — likely forever.”
Sentences for sex assault are indeterminate. After the 72 years has been served, it will be up to the state Department of Corrections to determine whether Corral-Venegas is sufficiently rehabilitated to be released, prosecutors said. If released, he faces 20 years to life on parole.
On Oct. 4, 2016, police were called to the Santana Ridge Condominiums, on South Geneva Way, on a report of an apartment break-in and a sex assault. The victim told police a man forced his way into her residence and raped her at knife-point. Her 1-year-old son was home at the time. He was not injured.
On Oct. 13, police were called to the same complex on a report of an attempted sexual assault. The second victim was able to keep the assailant from entering. Both victims gave police a detailed description of the man.
Corral-Venegas was arrested a short time after the attempted break-in at a restaurant near the condo complex.
The first victim addressed the court at sentencing: “He has taken a part of me I can never get back, and he put my child in danger. … For that, I hope he rots. He is a sociopath beyond repair. … Today is his reckoning, and his time is up.”
The second victim also addressed the court Wednesday: “I am going to live the rest of my life bearing this trauma. … Every time my doorbell rings, I relive the events that happened that day,” she said. “This has caused me to lose my trust in society and humanity as a whole. You can’t get that back.”
At the sentencing Holmes said both victims “have shown exceptional intestinal fortitude and courage and clarity in dealing with this horrible situation.”
During the investigation, authorities determined that Corral-Venegas had been a police officer in Chihuahua, Mexico. A warrant there alleges that he raped five women. He entered the United States illegally, was deported, and re-entered the country illegally again, the release said.
Prosecutors has sought a maximum sentence of 140 years to life.
Holmes talked about the contradictive actions of Corral-Venegas: “Police officers everywhere are responsible to try to protect the public, not prey on them.”
