Guilty plea comes as jury selection begins third day
By Glenn Harbison
glenn@thenewsobserver.com
Alfredo Pantoja Pantoja has been sentenced to 30 years, with eight years to serve and the remainder on probation, in connection with child molestation and associated charges brought against him in September 2019.
Chief Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver handed down the sentence Tuesday, June 22, after Pantoja’s trial had gotten underway in Fannin County Superior Court.
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Frank Wood said Pantoja’s trial started the day before, Monday, June 21.
Two panels of potential jurors had been interviewed Monday and interviews of a third panel of 18 had started Tuesday. It was at this point Pantoja decided to enter a plea.
Pantoja was on trial for a 30-count indictment returned by a Fannin County Grand Jury December 5, 2019.
That indictment included seven counts of child molestation, two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, four counts of sexual battery against a child under 16, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of sodomy, sexual battery, aggravated sodomy, two counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, and a recidivist count.
Under the plea agreement signed June 22, court records show Pantoja pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery against a child under 16, and one count of child molestation.
He was sentenced to 20 years, serve 8, on the child molestation charge. Five years of probation was added for each of the two other charges, with that probation to be served consecutively with the initial 20 years.
In addition, Wood said there is an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold on Pantoja.
“If the laws are the same as they are now (when Pantoja is released)” Wood said he will immediately be deported. However, his probation in this country will remain in effect should he not be deported or return at some point.
That probation includes general and special conditions along with registration as a sex offender.
Among the probation conditions, he is to have no contact with any child under the age of 18.
Pantoja was arrested by investigators from the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office within hours after allegations of child molestation were reported against him. The allegations and arrest came the same day, September 10, 2019.
At the time, Investigations Captain Justin Turner said investigators learned from family members the victim knew her attacker. They uncovered information that Pantoja was a convicted felon and was in the possession of firearms.
From that information, a search warrant was obtained for the suspect’s residence and he was arrested on the firearms charge.
The child molestation charges followed after additional evidence was found.
Pantoja, 43 at the time of his arrest, listed his address as 252 Allen Road, Morganton.
He has been jailed since he was first arrested.