27-year-old Las Cruces man sentenced to 18 years behind bars for raping young girl

A jury found 27-year-old Daniel Lee Landon guilty of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and criminal sexual contact with a minor.

There was a heated exchange between Landon’s mother and the victim’s mother moments after Landon received his 18-year sentence.

Landon’s mother was crying after Judge Fernando Macias handed down the sentence. As the victim’s mother left the courtroom the two women cursed at each other. Landon’s mother apologized to the judge and said “She started it.” -They were both escorted out.

As we’ve reported, Landon was arrested after his girlfriend at the time found him acting in a sexually inappropriate way with her two young daughters. Investigators later found he had previous sexual contact with one of them.

“I have goals I want to accomplish. I want to continue going to school. I feel like I’ve protected my family and I want to be there for my mom and my brothers,” said Landon to the court.

The prosecution says not once has Landon shown concern for the victim.
Landon has proclaimed his innocence throughout the case.