By KRWG News
Las Cruces – A former youth pastor in Las Cruces has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping and molesting three young girls he met through his family's church between 2005 and 2007.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports 31-year-old Rico Dominic Escudero entered a no contest plea in May to two counts of kidnapping, three counts of rape, four counts of attempted rape of a child younger than 13 and two counts of molesting a child younger than 13.
Under a no contest plea, a defendant doesn't admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction if the case goes to trial.
The sentence was filed last week.
Prosecutor Susan Riedel says all three victims knew Escudero through Victory Outreach Church.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.