Ortiz
WHITE PLAINS – A Mamaroneck man has pled guilty to a charge of
sexually abusing a girl back in November 1998 when she was five years
old.
Luis Ortiz, 50, had been extradited from Guatemala in May of this year
and returned to Mamaroneck Village Court on a bench warrant issued in
1998 when he failed to appear on two felony complaints.
On November 9, 1998, the victim told her mother that Ortiz had sexually
abused her while she was in Ortiz’s home the previous weekend. The
child’s mother reported it to police the same day and Ortiz was
arrested two days later. He was charged with sexual abuse and admitted
sexually abusing the girl.
Bail was set at the time at $25,000 cash, but was reduced to $5,000.
On December 1, 1998 during a forensic interview of the child, she disclosed
additional information which indicated Ortiz had engaged in several more
serious sexual assaults against the child over a period of months while
Ortiz’s wife babysat the child in their home. As a result, the charge
was elevated to course of sexual conduct against a child.
Bail was set at that time at $50,000, but reduced to $10,000. Ortiz made
bail and failed to appear at his two next scheduled court dates and on
January 7, 2000, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On March 7, 2000, the Westchester District Attorney’s Office requested
a Red Notice be issued internationally by Interpol.
On July 5, 2000, law enforcement received a tip that he had been seen
in El Salvador, his native country, but he could not be located.
In 2012, the US Marshals Service learned he was in Guatemala living under
an assumed name. He was apprehended in August 2016 and after exhausting
attempts to avoid extradition, Ortiz was returned to the US on May 3,
2017.
When sentenced in November he faces up to 25 years in state prison.
