Release Date: Monday, March 29, 2010 4 p.m.
Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Juan Alberto Soto, 20 years old, previously residing in the 1200 block of Hillock Crossing Virginia Beach, VA, and having pled guilty on September 22, 2009, was sentenced today by Circuit Court Judge A. Bonwill Shockley on two (2) counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery, one (1) count Sexual Battery and one (1) count Disturb the Peace. Judge Shockley ordered the defendant to serve a total of forty-two (42) in years in the Virginia Department of Corrections. The Court suspended twenty-seven (27) years of that sentence, leaving the defendant a fifteen (15) year active sentence to serve.
Had this matter gone to trial, the Commonwealth’s evidence would have proved that between February 1 and April 10, 2008, Soto sexually molested and touched a 12 year old male victim in an inappropriate way while they were alone and playing. Soto later confessed to these allegations. The Commonwealth’s evidence would have also proved that in December 2008, Soto attempted to touch a 15 year old male victim in an inappropriate way while at the movies together. Lastly, the Commonwealth’s evidence would have also proved that on March 10, 2009, Soto threatened the 15 year old male victim with a bayonet and placed it on the victim’s neck while shoving him onto a bed.
The defendant had no prior criminal history.
The high end of the sentencing guidelines is six (6) years eleven (11) months and the adjusted high end based on risk assessment is thirteen (13) years ten (10) months.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Lyla M. Zeidan. Please call Julie Pickell at 385-8545, if additional information is desired.
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