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Man accused of attacking Mesa teenager gets long prison term

Posted at 1:44 PM, Jul 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-27 20:54:08-04

A man accused of attacking the teenage daughter of his ex-girlfriend in Mesa has been sentenced to 20 1/2 years in prison.

Maricopa County Superior Court officials say Pablo Diaz-Martinez also was sentenced Wednesday to lifetime probation.

Two months ago, a jury convicted the 45-year-old Diaz-Martinez of kidnapping, sexual abuse, burglary and child abuse. He was acquitted of molestation of a child.

Prosecutors say Diaz-Martinez attacked the then-13-year-old girl in December 2014 while her mother was at work.

The girl says Diaz-Martinez blamed her for his failed relationship with her mother and then beat and sexually molested her.

She escaped by jumping out the bedroom window and running to a neighbor for help.

Diaz-Martinez was arrested later by Nogales police near the U.S.-Mexico border.