Cesar Bustamante

WARSAW — A 23-year-old Goshen man, Cesar Bustamante, also known as Cesar Murillo, 501 Third St., Goshen, was sentenced today, Dec. 1, at the Kosciusko County Superior Court 1.

He was originally charged with child molesting, a class B felony, and stalking, a level 5 felony. The stalking charge was filed in September of 2014, while the child molesting charge was filed in October of 2014.

Court documents state that on May 27, 2014, a protective order was issued against Bustamante from having any contact with the juvenile victim, who was under the age of 14, and her mother. However, on Sept. 19, 2014 the mother discovered Bustamante had been contacting her daughter through Facebook.

A letter was found on Sept. 22, 2014, by the mother that said her daughter was running away to Mexico.

After contact with Bustamante’s family members, it was determined that the juvenile was with Bustamante in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Cell phone technology was used to locate the child. Authorities in Green Bay located the two in a motel on Sept. 22, 2014.

Bustamante pleaded guilty to a Class C felony of child molestation in June.

Katy Hampton, deputy prosecuting attorney, submitted an incident report from the State of Wisconsin alluding to the incident. Hampton stated that Bustamante was in a position of trust with the child and her family. She asked that the maximum sentence be imposed.

Bustamante’s lawyer, Felipe Mireno, stated that Bustamante got himself into a bad situation. Mireno said that Bustamante admitted to the charges and accepted responsibility. He described Bustamante as “a hard-working young man who takes care of his mother.”

Mireno asked that the court consider the relatively young age of his client and the fact that Bustamante’s incarceration in Wisconsin “woke him up.”

It was questioned whether or not Bustamante is in the U.S. legally. Judge Cates informed Bustamante that “Deportation is a possibility.”

Bustamante asked the court for forgiveness. He stated, through his interpreter, “I did not know I was getting myself into a big problem and breaking the law.” He further stated that his parents and sisters in Mexico all got married very young so he was not aware that being in a relationship with someone that young was illegal. Bustamante states that he got to know God while he was in jail and now has a relationship with God.

Bustamante was found guilty of count 1 child molesting, a class C felony.

He was sentenced to four years incarceration in the Indiana Department of Corrections with jail time credit of 26 days. Additionally, there is to be no contact with the victim and Bustamante is ordered to pay restitution fees in the amount of $250.