EDINBURG – An Edinburg man was convicted of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child (1^st degree felony) and was sentenced to 40 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division.

An in-person jury trial was held from March 31, 2022 – April 8, 2022 in the 370^th District Court for Jorge Moreno, 43. The jury handed down the verdict on April 8, 2022 and the Honorable Judge Noe Gonzalez sentenced Moreno on May 25, 2022 to 40 years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Special Crimes Division Chief Hope Palacios and Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Hernandez; with assistance by the McAllen Police Department; Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo and Starr Counties; and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

“I commend Chief Hope Palacios and ADA Ricardo Hernandez for getting this violent offender off our streets and out of our community,” said Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez Jr. “I hope this conviction brings a sense of justice and closure to the victim and their family.”

The defendant was arrested on August 30, 2018 by the McAllen Police Department for abusing an extended family member. The victim was between the ages of 8 and 10 when the abuse occurred.