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Undocumented Farm Worker, 45, Gets 25 Years For Attempted Sexual Battery Of 11-Year Old In Walnut Hill
April 25, 2024
A former Walnut Hill farm worker that charged with a child sex crime after a 2022 Amber Alert has been sentenced to state prison.
Brijido Manriquez-Ortiz, now 45, was sentenced under a plea deal to 25 years in state prison after pleading no contest to attempted sexual battery on child under age 12. Manriquez-Ortiz was also designated as a sexual predator. H was in the United State illegally on an expired work visa
At the time of his arrest, he was originally charged with sexual battery on a victim under the age of 12 years, a capital felony that could have carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted.
On July 28 2022, an 11-year-old girl was discovered missing from a home on Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill. She was first believed to be in the company of Manriquez-Ortiz based on a note that was left behind and his relationship with her.
About two weeks prior, she was seen kissing Manriquez-Ortiz on the lips. He was employed by Steve’s Catfish Farm in Walnut Hill, and she frequently went to the business, according to an arrest report. He was fired and given a ride to Atlanta, Georgia.
The child’s father told NorthEscambia.com and investigators that he found a cut screen on their Walnut Hill home, and the girl was missing. She left a note behind indicating that she would be with Brijido-Ortez. According to an arrest report, she placed a call to Manriquez-Ortiz at 9:45 p.m. on July 27, and sexually explicit texts and photographs were sent back and forth between the victim and Manriquez-Ortiz.
A security camera at the Escambia Grain elevator nearly across the street recorded a white vehicle pulling into the victim’s home at 10:08 p.m. on July 27.
An Amber Alert was issued the following morning when the girl was found missing. Manriquez-Ortiz was located in Laredo, Texas, and questioned at the FBI office in Laredo. He remained in custody there until his extradition back to Escambia County.
The girl was located by law enforcement in Foley, Alabama, in a white truck that was previously reported as stolen by Steve’s Catfish Farm in Walnut Hill. The victim was interviewed at Gulf Coast Kid’s House. The details of that interview were redacted from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, but it states that Manriquez-Ortiz and the victim had sexual intercourse.
Manriquez-Ortiz is a Mexican citizen and illegally remained in the United States after his work visa expired in 2020.
Comments
15 Responses to “Undocumented Farm Worker, 45, Gets 25 Years For Attempted Sexual Battery Of 11-Year Old In Walnut Hill”
They need to start holding these companies liable for employing these immigrants who have expired work Visa’s. The company has to know they are expired because they have to keep paperwork updated. If they would quit employing them illegally there wouldn’t be so many over here working on expired Visa’s then the crime would have never happened. It’s COMMON CENSE.We got to do better america. People want to complain about illegal immigrants but yet hire them. Then they end up doing a crime. If you want to legally be in the U.S. Keep your work visa valid and be a good working person to society PERIOD.
@Gfjvfibdhjnj it doesn’t say she stole the truck and drove it to Foley but it does say she was located in Foley in a white truck that was reported stolen…now whoever stole it and drove it to Foley who knows??? I’m sure she isn’t the one who stole and drove it but she knows who did.
1) did the minor victim’s family have the opportunity to agree to this plea deal? Perhaps it was in exchange for the child victim to avoid having to testify..
2) I don’t quite understand how he was convicted of “attempted” sexual battery when he and the victim “had sexual intercourse”. Pleaded down from a LIFE in prison to a 25 year sentence. I’d assume that he’ll get out early for good behavior. It didn’t say it was a mandatory 25 years. I doubt his stent in prison will produce a fine, rehabilitated individual.
3) no mention, in the plea deal, if he’ll automatically get deported back to Mexico once he’s released.
4) he had a great defense attorney.
@citizen
Right? Thank goodness we live in a place where citizens never commit any crimes.
Oh wait.
@bewildered where does it say she stole the truck and drove to Foley? I saw where it said she was picked up from her home a little after 10pm
@Rick … his immigration status absolutely has something to do with this. If he didn’t remain in the country illegally, then the crime would not have happened. It’s pretty simple math. No illegal bad guy = no crime. Now if he were legal, then his immigration status would not have mattered at all, as he would have had the legal right to be here, just like everyone else.
this is why we need to close our borders and send all illegals back!!!!!!!!!
What? I was referring to the girl taking a truck and driving to Foley at 11 years of age.
The undocumented farm worker had nothing to do with that, he was already in California. Whose truck was it? Lots of unanswered questions
It was judge John Simon, but the prosecutor is the one who offered him a plea deal.
His immigration status has no bering on this crime. It just proves that awful people are everywhere.
@bewildered seriously! “For the wise beyond her years “victim”.” THE VICTIM WAS 11 YEARS OLD! A CHILD! She was groomed by a preditor!
I had no idea that there was such a thing as a PLEA DEAL for a 45 year old that slept with an 11 year old??? Who was the Judge on this case?
Sooo WHY was he employed at Steve’s Catfish if his work Visa expired??
another 25 year expense for the American taxpayer! As for the wise beyond her years “victim” – All I can say I wish the family of the girl lots of luck.
I remember not too long ago. A truck driver was charged in the death of a motorists. When the motorists lost control of their vehicle, crossed the median, and hit the trucker head-on. The trucker had violated his hours of service…hence, “He shouldn’t have been at that location at the time of the accident” so he was charged! Why isn’t someone being charged for him being here when he shouldn’t have? Someone should be held to account? Maybe Federal Immigration? Escambia County? Steve’s Farm?