Lassen County District Attorney Melyssah Rios announced on Friday that a 60-year-old Milford man has been found guilty of multiple felony charges involving the sexual abuse of children.
Following a week-long jury trial, Norberto Andrade Cardenas was convicted on April 17th, of one count of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14 (Penal Code § 288(a)) and two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child age 14 or 15 where the defendant is at least ten years older than the victim (Penal Code § 288(c)).
In addition to the primary charges, the jury returned “true” findings on special allegations that Cardenas committed these acts against two separate victims. The jury also found that an aggravating factor existed: Cardenas took advantage of a position of trust to commit his crimes.
The conviction marks a significant victory for the District Attorney’s office, which noted that the case hinged on the courage of the survivors.
“This conviction would not have been possible without the two very strong, very special young persons who came forward to disclose and then testify to the acts of the defendant,” District Attorney Rios said in a statement. “We recognize them for their bravery, as well as their family for the outpouring of crucial support they provided for these survivors during this process.”
The investigation was spearheaded by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, working in collaboration with Lassen County Victim Witness and the Mikailia Child Advocacy Center. The case was prosecuted personally by District Attorney Rios.
The verdict comes at a symbolic time for the community.
“April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month; it’s also Child Abuse Prevention Month and this conviction symbolizes support for these young survivors of both,” Rios noted.
This trial marks the tenth case presented to a jury by the District Attorney’s office so far this calendar year. Rios extended her gratitude to the local citizens who served on the panel, thanking the jurors for their “time and attention in this matter over this past week.”
Cardenas remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing, which is currently scheduled for June 29th.
