On Friday, July 24—during the sentencing hearing, nearly six years after the rape of a nun—the accused priest, Noel “N,” was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 21,720 pesos, as well as 34,320 pesos in restitution for material damages and 143,352 pesos for moral damages to the victim.
When determining the sentence, Judge Ángel Manuel Guillén weighed the severity of the harm caused by the assault. He considered the victim’s harrowing testimony and the technical analysis presented during the trial, which revealed a shattered sense of devotion and a life plunged into emotional collapse.
During the presentation of testimony regarding sentencing, the nun stated that the attack not only affected her faith but also left her at risk of suicide and in need of constant psychological treatment; she expressed having completely lost the will to live. This assessment was corroborated by a forensic psychologist, who confirmed that the victim requires long-term specialized care following the incident.
As the offense fell under the conduct sanctioned by Article 179 of the Baja California Penal Code—covering sexual crimes committed by members of religious groups, which carries a penalty of 15 to 27 years in prison—the judge imposed a mid-range sentence: 21 years in prison and a fine of 200 Measurement and Update Units (UMA), equivalent to 21,720 pesos based on the 2021 rate.
