Gonzales man pleads guilty of molesting 11-year-old family member

A Gonzales man has pleaded guilty to three counts of child molestation.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the victim said that her family member, 44-year-old Juan Manuel Leon repeatedly sexually molested her over the years. Leon pleaded guilty to molesting his family member when she was only 11 and 12-years-old.

The child said that some of the sexual assaults occurred when Leon had to watch her or when other family members were asleep. The victim said she felt scared and didn’t disclose the sexual assaults until she was 13.

Leon will be sentenced on February 28, 2018 to a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison.

“The charges Leon pled to are considered “strikes” under California’s Three Strikes law and are also violent felonies so Leon will have to serve 85% of his sentence before being released,” said the DA’s Office.

Leon will be required to register as a sex offender.