Hector Saenz, 19, appeared before San Benito County Superior
Court Judge Steven Sanders for his sentencing today.
A Hollister man was sentenced to 180 days in jail, three years of probation and he has to register as a sex offender after being found guilty of six counts of sex crimes involving a minor.
Hector Saenz, 19, appeared before San Benito County Superior Court Judge Steven Sanders today. Sanders ordered him to surrender to authorities and begin his jail sentence May 7. The judge also fined Saenz $2,538.
The defendant, wearing a brown polo style shirt and black slacks, did not speak in front of the judge and after the sentencing declined to comment to the Free Lance.
Outside the courtroom, the victim’s mother said the defendant manipulated her daughter for several months and that the family finally stepped in to put a stop to it. The mother, whom the Free Lance won’t name to avoid identifying the victim, said her family was satisfied with the court’s ruling.
“Our daughter is not well – she will definitely need counseling,” she said. “It (the ruling) won’t take back the devastation this has caused our family, but once he has to register as a sex criminal, we’ll be satisfied.”
The sentencing, scheduled for this morning, was postponed until the afternoon so court-ordered DNA collection could be performed on Saenz.
