Silver City, NM – Sixth Judicial District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced today that a Silver City jury has found Ruben J. Chavarria, Jr. (68) guilty of multiple charges involving the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13.
Chavarria was convicted of four counts of Criminal Sexual Penetration in the First Degree (child under 13) and one count of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor under 13 in the Second Degree.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Celeste Robertson and Chief Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Clark, with Honorable Judge Hofacket presiding over the trial.
The investigation began after the victim disclosed to a friend that she had been inappropriately touched by her mother's boyfriend. Law enforcement was notified, and during the trial, the victim testified that the abuse occurred over approximately two years, between the ages of five and seven, while Chavarria resided in her family home.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Chavarria faces a maximum sentence of 87 years in the New Mexico Department of Corrections.
