Carson City couple sentenced in ‘stranger than fiction’ case

The Carson couple originally charged with trying to impregnate a 15-year-old girl with a turkey baster was sentenced by District Judge James Wilson on Tuesday.

Jessica Soto Delgado-Bracamontes and Mario Quevedo were arrested on charges of sexual assault, furnishing methamphetamine to a child as well as child neglect and endangerment. They were attempting to get the girl pregnant with Quevedo’s sperm because Bracamontes was unable to bear him a child.

The attempt was unsuccessful.

Wilson ruled in December 2014 there was insufficient evidence to prove sexual assault because the evidence didn’t show the act was against the girl’s will. In fact, she testified at the preliminary hearing she consented to the attempt. She also testified she had used meth frequently with both defendants. The victim said she was on meth when the incident occurred.

Although the sexual assault charges were dropped, charges of child neglect, endangerment and administering meth to a child were not.

Eventually, both defendants pleaded guilty to those charges.

At sentencing, District Attorney Jason Woodbury described the case as “stranger than fiction.”

But he joined Bracamontes’ lawyer Noel Waters and recommended she get probation.

“We are asking for probation because, after the conduct, for the most part, the defendant has regretted her decision and has assisted us in who we felt was the primary component in the incident,” Woodbury told the judge.

“She doesn’t minimize her actions, but she regrets them,” said Waters.

Wilson imposed a 365 day suspended sentence on Bracamontes with three years probation. He said in part, he wanted to take the victim’s wishes into account. The girl had asked the court to give the woman probation instead of jail time.

Quevedo didn’t get the same sympathy. Woodbury said Quevedo hasn’t been employed for nearly a decade and had 16 criminal convictions before his 30th birthday. He said Quevedo should serve the full 365 days in jail for his part in the crime.

Quevedo’s lawyer Ben Walker protested saying the two should get the same punishment since they created and carried out the scheme together.

“It was a bizarre case but they were all in this together,” he said.

“I take full responsibility and that is why I took the plea,” Quevedo told the court. “This opened my eyes to something different and I am trying now to steer away from that lifestyle.”

But unlike with Bracamontes, the victim asked the judge to give Quevedo the maximum sentence saying he tortured her for two years of her life.

“The trauma, fear and pain can’t explain how I feel in my everyday life,” she said. “I don’t like to be touched now, not even to get a hug from a friend.”

Judge Wilson gave Quevedo the full 365 days in jail.

“The court doesn’t want to cause any further negativity for the victim,” Wilson said.