Q COSTA RICA — The San Joaquín de Flores (Heredia) Prosecutor’s Office sentenced a man named Rojas Campos to 20 years in prison after proving his guilt in the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter, who was eight years old when the abuse began.
The sentence was handed down on July 15 by the Heredia Criminal Court, after the judges reviewed the evidence presented during the trial and concluded that the defendant was responsible for the investigated acts. The ruling was announced this week by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office, the abuses occurred between 2017 and 2019 in the town of La Asunción, in Belén de Heredia. During that period, the minor was the victim of repeated sexual assaults by the man, who lived with the girl’s mother and acted as her stepfather.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, the now-convicted man took advantage of his close relationship with the victim and the position of authority he held within the family to commit the crimes. The prosecution also argued that the man used his physical and psychological superiority to subdue the minor and facilitate the commission of the abuse.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office successfully proved these facts through the various pieces of evidence presented during the trial.
Although the sentence has already been issued, the process has not yet definitively concluded. While the ruling becomes final and the corresponding procedural stages are completed, Rojas Campos must remain in pretrial detention to ensure that the convicted person remains at the disposal of the judicial authorities until the sentence is finalized, especially in cases of serious crimes and when a significant prison term is involved.
Sexual offenses committed against minors are considered especially heinous under Costa Rican law due to the impact they have on the physical and emotional development of the victims. In addition to the immediate consequences, specialists have warned that these types of assaults can cause psychological repercussions that last for years without adequate professional support.
In many of these cases, the perpetrator is someone close to the victim, such as a family member, stepfather, guardian, or trusted individual. This makes reporting difficult and prolongs the time the crimes remain hidden.
Authorities emphasize the importance of paying attention to possible changes in behavior in children and adolescents, as well as reporting any suspicion of violence or abuse.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has reiterated that the investigation and prosecution of sexual crimes against minors is an institutional priority. To this end, it works in coordination with other entities responsible for child protection, with the aim of reducing revictimization during the criminal process and strengthening the collection of evidence that will allow those responsible to be brought to justice.