Baltazar
A native of Mexico residing in Columbus has pleaded guilty in Bartholomew Superior Court 1 to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
Pedro Mateo Baltazar, 31, formerly of Triangle Court, accepted a plea bargain Monday that called for him to plead guilty to child molesting as a Level 3 felony. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop another charge of child molesting as a Level 1 felony, as well as one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor as a Class B misdemeanor.
Under terms of the agreement, Baltazar has agreed to accept a 15-year prison term with the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC). That’s one year below the maximum allowable sentence of 16 years, and six years more than the advisory term of nine years.
In the courtroom Monday, Judge James Worton and public defender Greg Long seemed in agreement that Baltazar will likely be deported to Mexico. But whether he serves his prison sentence first before being sent back to Mexico is up to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A decision may be announced during Baltazar’s sentencing hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on June 4.
While Baltazar may have pled guilty, he did not admit that he forced the victim into engaging in sex acts with him. Speaking through an interpreter, Baltazar told the court he can’t remember committing the Oct. 17, 2022 crime because he was intoxicated at the time.
However, the defendant said he will accept whatever the victim and witnesses said about his actions as the truth.
While the DOC has treatment programs available, Worton said Baltazar is not eligible to enroll in them due to the nature of his offense.
Long is the second public defender to represent Baltazar. Originally, Worton had appointed Jane Ann Noblitt to the position on Nov. 14, 2022. However, a motion was made by the defense for Noblitt to step down. Long was appointed as her replacement on Dec. 27, 2022.
