Two Norcross brothers will spend the rest of their lives in prison after a Gwinnett County jury found them guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl, prosecutors said.
Jose Angel Soriano, 36, and his younger brother Jordi F. Soriano-Balbuena, 32, were both convicted of rape. Soriano-Balbuena was also found guilty of aggravated child molestation. The case began after the victim disclosed the abuse to her mother, who went to police, triggering an investigation that eventually landed the brothers in front of a Gwinnett jury.
Verdict and sentences
The trial wrapped up this week with the kind of outcome that leaves no room for second chances. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, jurors convicted Jose Angel Soriano of rape, while Jordi F. Soriano-Balbuena was convicted of both rape and aggravated child molestation.
The judge ordered both men to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole, effectively ensuring they will die behind bars.
How the case came to light
The abuse came to light when the victim told her mother what had been happening, and the mother contacted law enforcement, Atlanta News First reported. Police then launched an investigation that ultimately led to the charges, trial and convictions.
Prosecutors told the court that the abuse took place over multiple years and that other victims were identified during the investigation, according to Atlanta News First. District Attorney Patsy Austin‑Gatson said in a statement she was “pleased with these verdicts and sentences that protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Other alleged victims and DeKalb ties
During the Gwinnett trial, prosecutors told jurors the brothers had multiple other victims in DeKalb County, and three of those alleged victims took the stand to testify, per FOX 5 Atlanta.
The district attorney’s office did not immediately say whether the men will face separate charges in DeKalb County, FOX 5 reported. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed how the defendants are connected to those additional alleged victims.
Prosecutors' recent work on child‑sex cases
The convictions arrive as Gwinnett prosecutors continue to pursue a string of high‑profile child‑sex cases. In an unrelated Norcross case last September, another defendant also received a life sentence, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's news releases.
The county's Special Victims Unit has handled many of those prosecutions and, according to the official releases, works closely with investigators and victim‑witness advocates to move these cases through the courts.
What happens next
Both men were sentenced on Thursday and will serve life behind bars, Atlanta News First reported.
It is not yet clear whether DeKalb County prosecutors will bring additional charges or whether defense attorneys will file appeals, Atlanta News First noted. Local authorities have not immediately provided further details about the defendants' relationship to the victim.
