Judge sentences Fresno man to 780 years to life in prison on child sex and pornography charges
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A registered sex offender who lied about where he lived, molested three young Fresno girls, recorded the crimes, and shared the video online caught a break in court Tuesday. Cornelio Jimenez was only sentenced to 780 years to life in prison on 34 counts of child sex and pornography charges.
He was facing the possibility of 1,882 years to life in prison, which would have been the longest punishment in California history.
Jimenez needed mercy to avoid the record-breaking punishment, so he wrote the judge a six-page letter and said he felt the same guilt as if he killed someone.
"In his own words and to the best of his ability, he expresses remorse for his actions," said public defender Angelica Rivera about the letter from Jimenez.
Action News got a copy of the letter and a deeper look shows less remorse and more finger-pointing.
"The defendant blames confidential victims' mother for allowing the children to be alone with him," said prosecutor Deborah Miller.
"What if I told you she puts her children in harm's way on purpose," Jimenez wrote.
We're not identifying the girls' mother, but she told the judge she already blames herself for trusting Jimenez when he said his prior convictions were bogus.
"I will never forgive myself and I will live with that guilt for the rest of my life," she said.
But Jimenez didn't stop there. Miller said, "He blames the confidential victims in this case by suggesting they were previously molested and he did not teach them that behavior."
"I never taught the girls anything they didn't already know," Jimenez wrote of his three victims, the oldest of whom was 7.
Jimenez claims a family member abused him as a child as well and says, ultimately, his actions could've been prevented.
What he did was so disturbing, he faced the possibility of 1,882 years to life in prison after a jury convicted him on all 34 counts of child sex and pornography charges.
He blamed the police and his defense attorney for that conviction, but the judge wasn't having it.
"Mr. Jimenez, you gave your attorney nothing to work with," said Judge Arlan Harrell. "It was your face in the screen as you adjusted the camera to ensure that you got the correct angle for filming yourself molesting these victims. That was you."
Nonetheless, Judge Harrell granted Jimenez a touch of mercy.
He handed down a sentence of 780 years to life -- long enough that Jimenez will never have the chance to molest another child -- but well short of a record.
