EDINBURG – A Donna man will serve 32 years in prison on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to a statement released Wednesday.
Celestino Hernandez, 51, was sentenced by Visiting Judge Fidencio Guerra on September 23 in the auxiliary court, the statement says.
Hernandez’s victims were nine and 12 at the time of the assaults, which occurred in 2017 and 2018, the release says. Hernandez, who pleaded guilty to the two charges, will serve two 32-year sentences to run concurrently in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The case was prosecuted by Special Crimes Division Chief Hope Palacios.
“The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Children’s Advocacy Center, SANE Evonne Garcia (DHR), DA Investigator Linda Greenwood, Advocate Ilda Sifuentes and Chief Hope Palacios all worked together to bring justice to these two children,” Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez wrote in the statement.
Suspected child abuse can be reported by calling 1 (800) 252-5400, the release says.
