People v. Minjarez CA4/2

BACKGROUND

Minjarez’s long-term girlfriend is Patty A. The four victims in this case are

Patty’s granddaughters (G.A., N.A., D.A., and E.C.). G.A., N.A., and D.A. are siblings.

E.C. is their cousin. E.C. is the subject of the kidnapping count.

Patty often babysat her grandchildren, and E.C.’s family also lived with Patty for

roughly one and one-half years. Minjarez visited Patty’s home several times per week

and stayed overnight at times.

E.C. was 13 years old when she testified at Minjarez’s trial in 2023. He first

touched her when she was around seven years old. They were in her grandmother’s

bedroom; he touched her buttocks over her clothes and her breasts under clothes. On

other occasions, he touched her breasts over and under her clothes, showed her a video of

2 a girl dancing in a bikini, and put his hand inside her shorts and rubbed her vagina over

her underwear. He also showed her pornographic videos on his phone.

The incident underlying the kidnapping count occurred when E.C. was eight years

old. She was watching television in the living room with her sister. Her parents were not

at home, but her grandmother and Minjarez were there. Her grandmother was…