Hickory Man Gets At Least 12 Years Prison Time For Statutory Rape

40-year-old Jose Luis Garcia of Hickory was sentenced to 12 to 19 years in prison following his conviction for multiple sexual offenses during Catawba County Superior Court on Monday, June 27.

The Honorable Reggie E. McKnight, Superior Court Judge from Mecklenburg County, imposed the sentence for Garcia after he pleaded guilty to statutory rape of a child younger than 15 and sex act by a substitute parent/custodian. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for life and is subject to satellite-based monitoring.

The victim disclosed to investigators with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office on September 9, 2021, that she had been sexually abused by the defendant, with the most recent incident occurring on September 8, 2021. During further interviews with law enforcement and a forensic interview with the Children’s Advocacy and Protection Center of Catawba County (CAPC), the victim divulged that Garcia forced her to have sex with him.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and CAPC investigated the cases. Jessica Phillips handled the prosecution for the District Attorney’s Office.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY