Monterey County man guilty of raping 2 girls, including a family member
A Monterey County man was found guilty of eight felony counts related to the rape of and molestation of two girls who were minors when the abuse began.
Manuel Vasquez, 37, was convicted on Friday of two counts of forcible rape and six counts of committing forcible lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14, according to a Tuesday press release from the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.
At least one of the victims was a family member of Vasquez. She told law enforcement she had been raped more than once and was bound and gagged during the assault to stop her from screaming, according to the DA's Office.
After the victim reported her abuse to law enforcement, a second victim came forward. She said she had been molested by Vasquez at a young age.
Both said they delayed reporting the crimes because they feared they would not be believed, which is common in such cases, according to the DA's Office.
Vasquez is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 8 to set a date for a sentencing hearing.
