FLORENCE, AZ (July 9th, 2024) -  - The Office of Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer announced Cristobal Cardenas, 45, has been sentenced to 95 years in prison for kidnapping a woman and sexually assaulting her on numerous occasions.

On July 8th, 2024, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg imposed the sentence.

A jury found Cardenas guilty of three counts of Sexual Assault, all Class Two Felonies; and Kidnapping, a Class Two Felony.

In December 2021, Cardenas picked up a sex worker and after having consensual sex, drove the victim around, strangled her and engaged in sexual conduct without her consent. Cardenas then took the victim to a home in Maricopa, where he restrained the victim and again sexually assaulted her. At some point, Cardenas left the room and the victim was able to break free from the zip tie restraints and was able to run to a nearby house to seek help. The Maricopa Police Department responded to the scene and took Cristobal into custody.

“It is hard to comprehend the brutality the victim had to endure,” said County Attorney Kent Volkmer. "Fortunately, after a trial on the merits the Defendant was convicted, held accountable, and will now spend the rest of his life behind bars."

The victim testified at trial and a medical examination conducted during the investigation revealed injuries consistent with her accounting of what occurred.

This case was investigated by the Maricopa Police Department.

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FLORENCE, AZ (April 25th, 2024)  - A Pinal County Superior Court Judge has sentenced Shawn Main, 53, to life in prison for the murder of a three-year-old girl.

On Thursday, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Daniel Washburn sentenced Main to life plus an additional 17 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Washburn previously found Main guilty of First Degree Felony Murder; Child Abuse, a Class Two Felony; and two counts of Child Abuse as Class Four Felonies.

“Children are the most vulnerable in our community and it’s a tragedy this young girl’s life was cut so short,” said County Attorney Kent Volkmer. “Those who abuse children need to be held accountable. Our thoughts are with the girl’s siblings who will go through life without their sister.”

This trial took place as a bench trial, meaning the judge, not a jury, made the determination of guilt or innocence.

On November 19th, 2015, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office responded to Banner Casa Grande Medical Center reference a death investigation of a three-year-old girl named Tiana. Deputies advised Tiana had injuries across her body in addition to an extremely severe diaper rash.

Detectives spoke with the woman who was with the child, identified as Main. Main and her wife were also living with another woman in Maricopa and were trying to adopt her four children, which included Tiana. Main claimed the girl had repeatedly fallen and that is how the severe injuries occurred. During interviews with investigators, Main made conflicting statements about what took place. The state argued that blunt force trauma was the cause of death, with a dozen impacts to the victim's head and face, and that the injuries were not at all consistent with a child falling on their own.

During sentencing, several statements were read on behalf of Tiana’s juvenile brothers, who described how her death has affected them and recalled Tiana as a child who loved Minnie Mouse and Hello Kitty. Deputy County Attorney Shawn Jensvold told the Court, “Had Ms. Main demonstrated just an ounce of human decency…none of this would have happened.”

Main addressed the Court and did not accept responsibility, but in reference to the guilty verdicts told the judge, “I couldn’t believe you got it so wrong.”

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FLORENCE, AZ (January 26^th, 2024) - A former foster parent has been sentenced to 218 years flat time in prison for the sexual abuse of a child in his care.

On January 26^th, 2024, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Jason Holmberg sentenced Francisco Medina, 53, to 218 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

A jury found Medina guilty of six counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor under the age of 15, all Class Two Felonies and Dangerous Crimes Against Children, and Molestation of a Child, also a Class Two Felony and Dangerous Crime Against Children.

"I hope this outcome gives the victim some small amount of closure and helps her in healing," said County Attorney Kent Volkmer. "I can't fathom what she's had to deal with, but I admire her strength and courage to hold her perpetrator accountable."

In 2020, the Tucson Police Department spoke to the victim, who is now an adult, related to past reports of sexual abuse by Medina when the victim and Medina lived in Casa Grande. The victim disclosed that she was a foster child in Medina’s care from 1996-1997, when she was around the age of eight or nine. The victim told investigators Medina entered her room at night on multiple occasions and sexually abused her.

Medina is already serving multiple life sentences in the Arizona Department of Corrections related to more than a dozen counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor of varying degrees in Pima County. That case also involved a separate child in Medina’s care.

“Medina committed the worst kind of betrayal. Rather than providing comfort and love for these little girls entrusted to his care, he repeatedly sexually abused them,” said Deputy County Attorney Lauren Deakin.  “The strength and courage they demonstrated by coming forward to law enforcement and then testifying during two trials - here and in Pima County - is admirable. My prayer is that the trial process has been empowering for both survivors, and that they know just how loved and supported they are.”

At sentencing Friday, the victim addressed the court and detailed the significant emotional hardship she has endured as a result of the abuse. She called Medina “pure evil” and credited the support of family and friends.

Medina’s sentence will run consecutively to his sentence in Pima County.

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