Moneylender in Artigas charged with sexual abuse of teenager
A man engaged in lending money in Artigas is under investigation for allegedly committing sexual offences against a 13-year-old girl. The case emerged following a report filed by a family member who was raising her.
Moneylender in Artigas charged with sexual abuse of teenager
A man engaged in money-lending in the city of Artigas was formally charged with alleged sexual offences committed against a 13-year-old girl. The incidents occurred during the end-of-year celebrations in 2022. Following the gathering of evidence, the Public Prosecutor's office secured the man's prosecution with a precautionary measure of four months' detention.
The girl's caregiver—her maternal uncle—discovered what had happened on 23 December by chance. The teenager, who had been raised by him since her mother's death, had revealed the situation to her therapist. The therapist suggested she should tell her guardian, which she did. With the young woman's permission, her relative went to the police authorities the following day to report the facts.
According to an article published by Montevideo Portal, the defendant is a figure connected to various areas of local social life. In the early stages of the investigation, progress was slow: the public defender assigned to the victim did not present certain evidence, which caused additional delays in the proceedings.
Faced with these obstacles, the teenager's relatives opted to hire the services of a private lawyer with an office in Salto, identified as Leticia Sosa. From the capital, a specialist in criminal law, Marcos Pacheco, also provided assistance. Coordinating with the Public Ministry representative Sabrina Massaferro, a search warrant was issued for the suspect's property, allowing the investigation to advance with the corresponding restriction of liberty.
The prosecutors obtained the digital conversations that the young woman had with her classmates on the day of the abuse. In parallel, experts from the Technical Forensic Institute conducted psychological evaluations that are consistent with the testimony of the victim. In the formal accusation, the girl offers a detailed description of the episodes without showing inconsistencies in her statement.
Her relatives also provided five psychological reports commissioned privately, prepared both in Artigas and in neighbouring areas such as Salto. These documents agree with those prepared by the state forensic agency and confirm the teenager's account. According to her version, in that December she was staying at the defendant's home due to a family political connection that led her to consider him a close relative; she used to stay there to live with the man's daughters.
The young woman recalled that, while resting in a room, the man entered and suggested she turn on the air-conditioning unit. At that moment, while she was lying face down, she received a blow to her buttocks. Later, when the other girls invited her to swim in the pool, she went to the bathroom, and was followed by the adult. In that space, the man touched her buttocks with both hands; when she turned around frightened, he touched her chest, grabbed her face and attempted a kiss. The teenager managed to avoid the contact, upon which the man withdrew uttering a derogatory remark.
During the search operation, officers found cheques without bank backing and documents relating to money transfers of an illicit nature. For these findings, the same individual is also being investigated for a possible fraud offence related to his lending occupation.
Prosecutors indicated that the investigation into the sexual offence will be prioritised, and once completed the proceedings regarding the alleged fraudulent scheme will be pursued.
Source: Montevideo Portal
Source: Google News UY — Montevideo