After hearing the courageous testimony of our the victim, the jury convicted and sentenced Santiago Mata to 70 years on two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The jury also assessed the maximum punishment of 20 years on the remaining 7 counts (3 counts sexual assault of a child under 17, 2 counts of sexual assault, and 2 counts of Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Descendant). The victim endured sexual acts from the age of 10 to 26 years old. The Honorable Russell Wilson stacked one of the sexual assault. This means the defendant must serve at least 40 years in prison before he is eligible to be considered for parole. The defendant is 61 years old. The jury, ADAs Marc Ledet and Lorena Whitney, Wilson County Sheriff Investigators Jack Derby, Lt. Joseph Dubs, Inv. Daria Fowler, and Deputy Joseph Martinez should all be commended as the first people to ever fight for our victim and show her that there is some good in this world. Her courage to come forward and tell the truth about everything she suffered will prevent Mata from harming any other children or women. In her victim impact statement, the victim stated that the years Mata received reflect all the tears she has cried. Justice served.
