A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to 95 years behind bars for the kidnapping and repeated sexual assault of a woman in Pinal County. Cristobal Cardenas was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg on July 8 after a jury found him guilty on three counts of Sexual Assault and one count of Kidnapping — all Class Two Felonies, as disclosed by the Office of Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer.
Details of the case reveal a harrowing ordeal, where in December of 2021, Cardenas initially picked up the victim, a sex worker and after consensual sex, proceeded to strangle and sexually assault her without consent. The abuse continued at a residence in Maricopa, Arizona, where the woman was restrained, but eventually escaped while the perpetrator momentarily left her alone.
County Attorney Volkmer, in reflecting on the violence endured by the victim, said, "It is hard to comprehend the brutality the victim had to endure." Volkmer also expressed relief over Cardenas' conviction and subsequent sentencing, meaning the defendant "will now spend the rest of his life behind bars."
At the trial, the victim's testimony coupled with a medical examination corroborated her account, showing injuries consistent with her description of the events. The Maricopa Police Department led the investigation, which ultimately resulted in Cardenas' arrest and, later, conviction. "Fortunately, after a trial on the merits the Defendant was convicted, held accountable, and will now spend the rest of his life behind bars," Volkmer expressed following the sentencing.
