Jury finds CT man guilty of sexually assaulting a minor

A Connecticut man has been found guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting a friend’s daughter when she was a minor, officials said.

On April 26, a jury in Hartford Superior Court found Angel Cruz guilty on nearly a dozen counts of sexual assault and six counts of risk of injury to a minor, according to Hartford State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott.

The victim, who is now an adult, came forward to police in Hartford in February 2020, reporting that he had assaulted her when she was between the ages of 5 and 13 years old, officials said.

Walcott’s office said Monday that due to the victim’s delayed disclosure of the abuse and the statute of limitations, Cruz faced charges connected to abuse that happened when the girl was between 12 and 13 years old.

Cruz was found guilty of three counts of first-degree sexual assault, six counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and six counts of risk of injury to a minor, according to officials.

Cruz’s case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Elena Palermo.

Walcott said in a statement that she was grateful to the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney for helping to bring the case to trial.

“The trial unit in the bureau has been invaluable in helping to ensure that we bring justice for victims in several cases such as this,” Walcott said. “Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Palermo handled the case with extreme care and concern that is greatly appreciated by the victim, her family and me.”

Cruz’s sentencing is scheduled for July 17 in Hartford, according to officials.