Columbia Man Sentenced to 360 Months for Aggravated Sexual Assault on a Child

A federal judge in Columbia, South Carolina, handed down a 30-year prison sentence to Ricardo Favela, 44, for his role in the aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

According to court documents, Favela was convicted in October 2016 of three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and one count of abusive sexual contact with a child. The abuse took place between early 2015 and April 2016, during which time Favela was the primary caregiver for the child.

A videotaped confession, taken by the FBI, revealed that Favela had allowed the child to perform sexual acts on him multiple times during the specified period. The confession was used as evidence during the trial.

United States Attorney Beth Drake commended the work of the investigators and prosecutors involved in the case, noting that the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritizes the prosecution of sexual assault cases that occur in areas of federal jurisdiction, such as military bases and national parks.

Drake stated that the sentence reflects the severity of the offense and serves as a deterrent to other sex offenders. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Jackson Criminal Investigation Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.D. Rowell and Jay Richardson prosecuting the case.

Favela will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and undergo sex offender rehabilitation as part of his supervised release. The South Carolina Sex Offender register will also require him to register.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it clear that it will continue to prioritize cases like Favela’s, which involve the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Favela’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of such heinous crimes, and the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seeking justice for victims of child abuse.

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