A former Brooklyn church worker who brought his alleged career as a child rapist to Hephzibah and North Augusta was sentenced to three life sentences plus 39 years in Georgia prison Wednesday.
A Richmond County jury convicted Roberto Ayala Figueroa, 57, of two counts of rape, child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and criminal attempt to commit aggravated child molestation against a victim he abused at a Hephzibah trailer park and in other south Richmond County locations from 2016-2019.
Chief Richmond County Superior Court Judge delivered the sentence after a three-day trial.
Assistant District Attorney Sarah Elizabeth Strickland “asked the jury to be this child’s voice and protect other kids from his depravity,” Augusta Circuit District Attorney Jared Williams said in a news release.
Figueroa, who later relocated to Beech Island, faces 2020 charges in Aiken County for criminal solicitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Strickland was prepared to show evidence that Figueroa repeatedly abused a 12-year-old girl in New York, another girl starting at age 14 and a third beginning when she was eight.
Evidence rules prevented the jury from learning about the extent of his crimes, Williams said.
Strickland was assisted by Special Victims Unit ADA Randi Guillory, ADA Will Dasher, DA Inv. Patsy Smith and Victim Advocate Courtney Menard, the statement said.
