Mom Catches Man Who Was Hired to Renovate Family's Bathroom Raping Her 11-Year-Old Daughter By Nicole Acosta

A man who was caught raping an 11-year-old girl inside the Virginia home where he was hired to work will spend 30 years in prison.

Ricardo Leonel Mejia, 35, was handed down the sentence after pleading guilty in June to three counts of raping a victim under 13, Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin D. Stolle announced in a press release on Oct. 7.

Prosecutors said the 11-year-old victim’s mother spotted Mejia naked in her daughter’s bed on Oct. 9, 2024 and recognized him as the man she had hired to renovate one of the bathrooms in their home.

The mother had tried to check on her daughter before going to bed, but the daughter’s door was locked. Eventually, the mom opened the door with a butter knife, per prosecutors.

“Mejia jumped out of bed, grabbed some of his clothes, exited the bedroom through an open window, and ran away,” the release states.

“The victim told police that the defendant had vaginal intercourse with her,” the release continues. “A physical examination was conducted on the victim, and forensic analysis determined that Mejia’s DNA and spermatozoa were present on the victim.”

While speaking with Mejia, police said he admitted to “having a relationship” with the girl and knowing she was underage, per the release. He also said that night was the third time he had sexual relations with the girl, adding that the first happened a few days prior in the bathroom when the girl’s parents weren’t home.

Mejia further stated that he jumped out of the window because he was scared of a confrontation with the victim’s father, prosecutors said.

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A judge sentenced Mejia to 75 years in prison with 45 years suspended, leaving 30 years to serve, per the release.

The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X that Mejia is a citizen of El Salvador and was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the crime. They added that he will serve his decades-long sentence before being taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).