Defendant pleads guilty after jury seated
WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL ) — A 73-year-old Wichita Falls man abruptly brings his jury trial to an end by pleading guilty to some of his child sex crimes committed from 2017 to 2021 against a young girl.
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Arturo Zuniga's trial for nine charges of sexual assault and indecency with a child was to begin Thursday, November 7, 2024, after the jury was sworn in that morning.
But after an early lunch break, attorneys announced Zuniga had decided to plead to five charges — one aggravated sexual assault of a child and four counts of sexual indecency with a child by contact. Under the deal, four additional counts of sexual indecency will be dropped.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on each count, which will be served concurrently.
Before the jury was dismissed, the victim made a victim impact statement. Zuniga had been jailed on more than $1 million bonds awaiting his trial.
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