Judge Robert Prisco gave defendant Anselmo Pena, 20 years after he refused to admit his guilt in the rape of an 11-year old girl
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced today that a painter-for-hire was given an enhanced sentence of 20 years in state prison for raping an 11-year-old girl after he denied responsibility for the rape in an interview with the Department of Probation.
Anselmo Yambay Pena, 61, of Peekskill, had previously been promised a sentence of 17 years in state prison in exchange for pleading guilty to Rape in the First Degree, a class B violent felony, and admitting to his criminal conduct. However, Pena’s denial of his culpability led Judge Robert Prisco on Friday to impose an enhanced sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by 20 years of post-release supervision. Pena will also have to register as a sex offender.
DA Cacace said: “The defendant’s refusal to accept responsibility for his grievous crimes only compounds the harms he committed and retraumatizes the victim in this case. Those who abuse defenseless children must be given penalties severe enough to deter future misconduct, and I thank Judge Prisco for taking the seriousness of the defendant’s denials into account when imposing the enhanced sentence.”
On Feb. 15, 2024, the defendant was hired to paint apartments at a residential building in Peekskill. In one apartment belonging to the victim’s family, the defendant raped the victim, who was then 11 years old.
The investigation was conducted by the Peekskill Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Baehr of the Child and Elder Abuse Bureau.
