Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Man Convicted Of Injecting 14-Year-Old With Meth And Raping Her

gavel.jpg
The judge contends that the man didn't go looking for the victim (Photo by Jiri Hera via Shutterstock)

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

On Tuesday, a jury found a 50-year-old man guilty of injecting a 14-year-old girl with meth before raping her in Huntington Park.

Prosecutors say that William G. Cortez, of Cudahy, met two 14-year-old girls and brought them to a house to smoke meth on Oct. 28, 2013. One of the girls left but the other was too intoxicated to leave. Cortez then injected her with meth before raping her. The victim's mother had been looking for her daughter, and the other 14-year-old told the mother where to find her. Mom showed up and immediately contacted authorities about the sexual assault. Cortez was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies.

On Tuesday, Cortez was convicted of forcible rape of a child over 14, forcible oral copulation and two counts of adult using a minor, according to a release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Cortez is scheduled to be sentenced June 8 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center, and he is expected to be sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today