Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Lewd Act With a Minor Likely to be Deported

SAN ANGELO, TX -- A 24-year-old Mexican citizen who was in the United States legally pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to one count of sexual assault of a child and faces likely deportation.  

Speaking through an interpreter, Margarito Jesus Quevedo pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault of a child in a plea deal with prosecutors who dismissed a second count stemming from incidents in July of 2017.  

Quevedo sat between his attorney and the interpreter.  He was shackled and wearing headphones.  

Quevedo was represented by Joe Hernandez.  Hernandez and the court provided interpreter explained District Judge Ben Woodward’s questions and instructions in the plea hearing.  Quevedo was facing two counts of sexual assault of a child which is a second degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.  Quevedo answered, "Si," when asked yes or no questions and when ask how he pleaded, he said, "guilty."  

In exchange for Quevedo’s guilty plea, prosecutors dropped the second count and recommended a sentence of six years in prison.  Judge Woodward accepted the recommendation and found Quevedo guilty. Woodward sentenced Quevedo to six years in prison and ordered him to pay court costs.  

Judge Woodward told Quevedo that since he was a documented alien, he would likely be deported because he was found guilty of a felony.  Hernandez told the court that the Mexican Consulate had been involved with the case from the very beginning.  It is unclear what will happen to Quevedo if he is deported, but it is possible he will be sent to a Mexican prison.  

Quevedo was arrested and has remained in jail since July 14, 2017.  At the time of the sexual assault, Quevedo was 22 and the female victim was 15.