Man gets prison for molestation of teenager

A Carson City man was sentenced to prison Monday for molesting a 13-year-old girl.

Teofilo Lira, 43, pleaded guilty to battery with intent to commit sexual assault and was sentenced by Judge Michael Griffin to five to 12 years in prison.

In exchange for the plea, Deputy District Attorney Anne Langer dropped two additional felony charges.

According to court documents, Lira was arrested March 31 in the 2700 block of Menlo Drive after admitting to sexually assaulting the girl.

The girl told investigators Lira had forced her in November to undress and stand in front of him. He told her not to scream or tell anyone because "she would regret it for the rest of her life," the report states.

In February, the victim said, Lira did the same thing, this time holding her down and touching her.

On March 28, the victim said, Lira allegedly attempted to force her to have sex with him, but she fought him off.

Public Defender Paul Giese asked Griffin for probation on behalf of his client.

"He has never been in trouble in his life," Giese said. "There are issues in this man's history that are treatable."

"I'm conscious of the seriousness of this matter," Lira, who holds a teaching certificate from his native Nicaragua, said through a Spanish-speaking translator prior to sentencing. "I ask for your pardon."

Griffin denied the request for probation.

"The only reason this didn't go (further) was he was stopped," he said.

In addition to the prison term, Lira will be on lifetime supervision with the Division of Parole and Probation, Griffin said.

Contact F.T. Norton at 881-1213.