Illegal immigrant sentenced in Reno rape of paralyzed woman
A life in prison term was imposed Wednesday upon a married father of one who dragged a paralyzed woman out of her wheelchair, raped her, and then left her lying nude in an alley.
The woman, who suffers from cerebral palsy, had been in a shopping center Oct. 30 in the 3300 block of North McCarran Boulevard when Joel Eliazar Ortega, 30, led her behind a business and attacked her. Soon after, Reno police officers responding to a call that Ortega was battering his wife in their nearby apartment, recognized Ortega as fitting the description of the suspect. He was arrested after the victim identified him.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Hahn described the crime as among the most ghastly sexual assaults hes ever seen.
She was dragged from her wheelchair, her clothes taken off, sexually assaulted and then left lying in an alley, said Washoe District Judge Patrick Flanagan. I have listened to you carefully, and you said things happen and you get in trouble based on your behavior and doctors say you cant take care of your daughter.
You are a danger, Flanagan said. ...you are lucky there is only one life sentence I can impose in this case.
In rendering a sentence of life against Ortega, Flannagan said he would be eligible for parole after serving at least 10 years in prison. Ortega is also an illegal immigrant who also must face immigration charges.
His public defender, John Malone, said Ortega has been receiving treatment at the states mental hospital for several years. He blamed the rape on Ortega not taking his psychiatric medicines and drinking alcohol.
Ortega pleaded guilty to the rape, and was also convicted of domestic violence, related to when police responded to his apartment after the assault.
The victim was not present in court, although her father was and said he was too emotional to speak about the incident.