ML woman sentenced for rape of a child

By RICHARD BYRD

Staff Writer

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake woman was sentenced for her role in a sexual assault involving a 14-year-old girl.

Jessica Cobb, 25, of Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape of a child in Grant County Superior Court. Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz followed a joint recommendation between Deputy Prosecutor Kiel Willmore and defense attorney N. Smith Hagopian and sentenced Cobb to 10 months, with 12 months of community custody.

Cobb’s boyfriend and co-defendant in the case, Carlos Hernandez, 39, of Moses Lake, was previously convicted by a jury of third-degree child rape, third-degree child molestation, 10 counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of an unlawful firearm (short-barreled shotgun), possession of a stolen firearm, and distribution of a controlled substance to a minor (sexual motivation).

Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Antosz, as he has a criminal history consisting of at least three serious violent offenses.

On Jan. 16, 2015 the Grant County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a possible sexualt assault involving a 14-year-old girl, Hernandez and Cobb. The victim told a detective she went to Hernandez and Cobb’s Road L residence in Moses Lake on Jan. 13 to babysit two young children. She said at the residence Hernandez began showing her pornographic videos, according to police records.

The girl described several instances of sexual contact between herself, Hernandez and Cobb throughout the night and into the next day. She advised of four periods of time that sexual acts occurred between the three of them.

Police records indicate Hernandez gave the girl powdered cocaine or methamphetamine, which she said she would inhale through her nose. She claimed before she left the Road L residence Hernandez and Cobb told her not to tell anyone about what had happened, as they “would be in a lot of trouble.” The girl said both Hernandez and Cobb knew she was 14.

Deputies searched the Road L residence on Jan. 17, 2015, recovering 11 guns, including rifles, pistols and shotguns, bullets, weapon magazines and shotgun shells. At least one of the recovered guns had the serial number “defaced” on it.

“Carlos Hernandez agreed to an interview and denied that he had any type of sexual contact with (the victim) in the past, but did agree that (the girl) had been at his residence overnight earlier in the week,” wrote a detective.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.