Man sentenced to 20 years for sexually abusing girl from age five in Pedro Brand
The Third Collegiate Court of Santo Domingo Oeste sentenced André Morel de los Santos to 20 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor in La Guáyiga.
Dominican court imposes 20 years on man who sexually abused girl from age five in Pedro Brand
The Third Collegiate Court of Santo Domingo Oeste condemned André Morel de los Santos to 20 years imprisonment for sexual assault against a girl from the municipal district of Pedro Brand, according to information from the Public Ministry. This is reported by almomento.net, based on Prensa Latina dispatches dated 12 September.
The sentence was issued after evaluating evidence presented by the prosecution, which included testimonies and expert assessments. According to the investigation, the assaults began when the victim was five years old and occurred in the family home during the mother's absences.
The young woman, now an adolescent, testified through the Gesell Chamber interview system that the defendant threatened her to prevent her from disclosing what had happened. The formal complaint was filed by the mother in June 2025 with the Unit for Gender Violence, Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences of Santo Domingo Oeste.
The court ordered Morel de los Santos to serve his sentence at the Najayo Men's Correction and Rehabilitation Centre, located in San Cristóbal province, in the country's southern zone.
One case among three in 48 hours
This case was one of three sexual abuse cases involving minors that the Public Ministry disclosed over a 48-hour period, which reignites the debate about the magnitude of this problem in the Dominican Republic.
Analysts note that judicial intervention is necessary, but warn that it is equally important to strengthen prevention mechanisms, care and support for victims of these types of crimes.
Source: Google News DO — Crime