Goshen man to serve 12 years in prison for sexual misconduct with minor – InkFreeNews.com

By Liz Adkins
Ink-free news

Eduardo Lozano Maldonado

WARSAW – A Goshen man will serve 12 years in prison after having sexual intercourse with a child in Warsaw.

Eduardo Lozano Maldonado, 33, 308 S. 8th St., Goshen, was charged with sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony; and solicitation of children, a level 5 misdemeanor.

Maldonado was sentenced on Thursday, October 17, in Kosciusko Superior Court One.

For sexual misconduct with a minor, Superior Court Judge Karin McGrath sentenced Kosciusko Maldonado to 12 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. Maldonado was also given a five-year prison sentence for child enticement, with the entire sentence suspended. Both sentences will be served consecutively.

In total, Maldonado received a prison sentence of 17 years, of which 12 years were executed and five years were suspended.

He will serve 19 days in jail and must register as a sex offender. A no-contact order between Maldonado and the victim remains in effect.

Maldonado must also pay $9,704.95 in restitution to the victim’s mother for therapy costs.

Because Maldonado pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea bargain, he plans to appeal.

At the sentencing, Chief Prosecutor Dan Hampton noted that the case revolved around internet use and highlighted the struggle families have in determining what age is appropriate for a child to have a cell phone with internet access.

“The victim suffered mental health issues as a result of this behavior by an internet predator,” Hampton said.

Hampton noted that the child’s mother posed as her child online after becoming aware of Maldonado’s behavior.

“Eduardo Maldonado took the opportunity to have another chance with the victim,” Hampton said. “But when he came back, the police were waiting for him. Eduardo exhibits very deviant sexual behavior and must be placed where he cannot endanger other children. For the safety of the community, he should be locked up for as long as possible.”

Hampton also read a statement from the victim.

“You no longer have control over me,” read the statement. “Finally I have peace. After everything you’ve done to me, I’m stronger. You are the lowest level of a person… you don’t deserve to be free, but you do deserve a prison sentence.”

Defense attorney Jay Rigdon requested a six-year prison sentence for Maldonado, given Maldonado’s limited criminal history. He also noted that the type of crime was “mundane” based on the charges.

McGrath noted that four additional criminal cases were filed against Maldonado while he was out on bond in the sexual misconduct case. She cited several reasons for Maldonado’s sentence, including the “nature, magnitude and depravity of the crime, continued criminal conduct and disregard for the safety of others.”

Affidavit of Probable Cause

On September 23, 2021, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of sexual misconduct with a minor that occurred on July 31, 2021. A woman said she found messages between Maldonado and a child, leading the woman to believe that the child had a sexual encounter with Maldonado.

The child was interviewed on September 27, 2021 at the Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center. According to court documents, the child said Maldonado contacted them via Snapchat. They said Maldonado knew their ages and that they had communicated online from February 2021 until meeting in person in July 2021.

During the interview, the child said they sent a photo of themselves in underwear to Maldonado.

On July 31, 2021, Maldonado drove to the child’s home and took them to a parking lot in Warsaw, where inappropriate behavior occurred. The child said Maldonado had sexual intercourse with them.

On October 1, 2021, the woman who discovered the communication between Maldonado and the child said she reactivated the child’s Snapchat account and messaged Maldonado while posing as the child. Maldonado agreed to meet with the child again after those conversations and went to the child’s home on October 3, 2021, where police contacted him.

Maldonado told officers he met the child on Snapchat and thought he was 18 years old. He said he kissed the child on the cheek and no other contact occurred.

Electronic messages between Maldonado and the child were provided to police. In the conversations, Maldonado admitted to having sexual intercourse with the child and provided specific details about the sexual encounter. In the communication, Maldonado expressed his desire to have further sexual encounters with the child. He also sent an inappropriate photo of himself to the child and asked the child to send him nude photos several times.