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Cifuentes Gets 50 Years To Life For Molestations
INDIO, Calif. -- A Palm Springs man was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for
molesting two neighbor girls, including an 11-year-old convinced by a phony
doctor letter that sex would be healthy for her. Superior Court Judge James
Hawkins told Luis Cifuentes, 36, on Wednesday that his conduct was particularly
egregious because of his position of trust, the vulnerability of the 11- and
8-year-old victims and his scheme to get the 11-year-old to have sex with him.
Cifuentes was convicted by a jury in September on 12 counts of lewd acts with a
child under 14 as well as special allegations of multiple victims and substantial
sexual conduct. Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Seebart said the crimes occurred
in July and August 2002. Cifuentes had sexual intercourse with the 11-year-old
and fondled the younger one, Seebart said. The girls lived next door to Cifuentes.
Hawkins denied a request by Deputy Public Defender William Maxwell to allow
Cifuentes to serve his life sentences at the same time instead of consecutively.
The prosecutor, who argued Cifuentes engaged in a "predatory scheme" to get
the girl to have sex with him, said Cifuentes gave the girl a forged letter from a
doctor saying that to grow up and develop into a physically strong and healthy
person, it was time for her to experience sex. When Hawkins asked Cifuentes if
he had anything to say, the Guatemala native replied, "I am guilty. There is
nothing else I can say. You guys have your laws in how you handle this."