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Tulare County man sentenced for sexually molesting six children over nearly 30-year span
The Fresno Bee - 9/21/2021
Sep. 21—A 69-year-old Visalia man was sentenced Monday in Tulare County Superior Court to 25-years-to-life for molesting six victims multiple times over the course of nearly 30 years.
Dennis Saenz Moreno pleaded no contest July 21 to two counts of sexual penetration of a child 10 years old or younger and four counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14. All of the crimes involved substantial sexual conduct and each of the counts is a felony and considered strike offenses, according to a news release from the Tulare County District Attorney's Office.
Moreno is accused of molesting six female victims ranging in age from five to 14. The assaults took place from February 1991 to May 2018 and evidence shows that the sexual assaults continued for one victim until she was 18.
"At first glance, it would appear that the sentence doesn't match the horrendous crimes committed by the defendant, and I wouldn't necessarily disagree," Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said in the release. "Part of supporting victims of crime is to help them heal in a manner that suits them. In this case, healing meant moving forward without enduring a trial."
Ward added that based on Moreno's age and the fact that he will qualify for review under California's revised Elder Parole Program he believes this is an appropriate sentence.
The California Legislature amended the Elderly Parole Program to allow inmates who are 50 years and older and have been incarcerated for 20 continuous years to be eligible for a parole suitability hearing. Before, an inmate had to be 60 years old or older and served 25 consecutive years to be considered for parole.
Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Wayt of the Crimes against Children Division prosecuted the case.
This story was originally published September 21, 20213:15 PM.
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