Jury convicts man of child sex assault

A Gonzales County jury on Wednesday found Ranulfo Cano Perez, 37, of Nixon, guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child. The verdict was returned at approximately 3 p.m.
Sentencing was scheduled for Thursday.
The trial began Monday morning at the Gonzales County Courthouse. The victim, a child related to the defendant, took the witness stand Monday and Tuesday, testifying against Perez about her abuse. 
Assistant District Attorneys James Reyes and Nan Udell prosecuted the case. Attorneys for the defense are Andres Cedillos of Floresville and Trent Rowell of Stockdale.
According to Reyes, the incidents occurred in the Spring and Summer of 2007, and from September to December 2007.  He said the victim first came forward with the allegations in 2007, telling her immediate relatives about the abuse.
“It was very difficult for her of course,” Reyes said. “She revealed a little bit at a time.”
Reyes said law enforcement was notified by her family and the Gonzales County Sheriff Office began investigating and Child Protective Services became involved.
“Over time she told us everything and then we learned of how often it had happened,” Reyes said. “When children are victimized like this they tend to reveal things a bit at a time because they are testing the water – They think, ‘Who’s going to believe me?’ They feel trapped.”
There was a second follow-up investigation by the Nixon Police Department in 2009.
“And when the mother found about this, they fled so she could get the child out of the dangerous situation,” Reyes said.
He credits the NPD’s investigation with the resulting charge of the continuous aggravated sexual abuse.
Aggravated sexual assault of a child is a first degree felony and punishable by 5-99 years or life in a state penitentiary. Continuous sexual abuse of a child is a new statute enacted in 2007, allowing the District Attorney’s Office to apply it to this case.
“That statute provides that the minimum punishment for that crime is 25-99 years or life in prison,” Reyes. 
“The jury has done the right thing, and we hope that this sends a message to people that the citizens of Gonzales County will not tolerate this behavior,” Reyes said. “We will continue to work together to make our communities safer for children.”
Reyes prosecuted Francis Flood in Spring 2010 for child sexual assault. Flood received 8 life sentences from the jury in that case. 
“The DA’s office is taking a serious stance against child sex abusers,” Reyes said.
The Cannon questioned Perez’s citizenship status, however that information is not being released at this time.
“It’s irrelevant to this case,” Reyes said.