Clovis, NM – Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Quentin Ray, announced that Jose Maldonado, age 25, of Clovis, was found guilty on February 27, 2024, by a Curry County jury of Kidnapping (1st degree felony), Criminal Sexual Penetration (2nd degree felony) and Burglary (3rd degree felony).
On May 21, 2021, Officers from the Clovis Police Department were dispatched to 1100 Sycamore in reference to a sexual assault. Maldonado broke into the victim’s house in the early morning hours and raped her. The victim was able to distract Maldonado and escaped out a bedroom window, where she ran to the neighbor’s house and called 911. Police matched Maldonado’s DNA to the sexual assault evidence kit collected by ARISE sexual assault services.
The Honorable Fred Van Soelen presided over the case and sentenced Maldonado to the maximum sentence: 30 years in prison. The kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration charges are considered serious violent offenses per law, which will require Maldonado to serve 85% of 27 years of the 30 year sentence. Once he finishes his prison sentence, he will be on sex offender parole for at least 5 years up to as long as his natural life. Judge Van Soelen told the Defendant, “the facts show that you are a predator and given a chance you’d do this again.”
Quentin Ray, District Attorney prosecuted the case for the State. Maldonado was represented by Criminal Defense Attorney, Sandy Galagher.
For more information, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at 575-769-2246.
