Dona Ana County Inmates Found Guilty Of Assaulting Another

DONA ANA COUNTY, N.M. – A femaleinmate of the Dona Ana County Detention Center was found guilty Friday of one count of Criminal Sexual Penetration, as well as Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Sexual Penetration.

Adaly Moreno was found guilty of sexually assaulting another female on January 12, 2007 while the two were inmates at the detention center. The jury, consisting of two men and ten women, deliberated for nearly twenty-five minutes before returning the guilty verdicts.

When the verdict was read, Moreno allegedly stood up and exclaimed, “I’m innocent! I’m innocent!” before being led away. Moreno faces up to nine years for the count of Criminal Sexual Penetration and up to three for the related conspiracy charge.

The co-defendant in this case, Melissa Saenz, was to stand trial today with Moreno, but instead pled guilty just prior to the beginning of Friday’s trial. Saenz pled guilty to the two same charges as Moreno and as a condition of her plea, she must now register as a sex offender.