Gwinnett man sentenced to 3 life terms for assaulting young girl

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Jorge Nagera Perez booking photo (Credit: Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - A Lawrenceville man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Gwinnett County jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl over the course of several years.

What we know:

A Gwinnett County jury found 33-year-old Jorge Nagera Perez guilty Tuesday morning of two counts of rape, three counts of aggravated child molestation, and two counts of child molestation. 

The charges stem from the abuse of a girl between the ages of 7 and 11, though witnesses testified the abuse actually began when she was just 3 years old.

Investigators first learned of the allegations in September 2022 when the girl was 11. 

Police determined Perez had sexual contact with the child for four years while she lived in Georgia. 

Following the guilty verdict, a judge sentenced Perez to three life prison terms plus an additional 89 years.

What we don't know:

The specific relationship between the defendant and the victim was not disclosed in the court proceedings provided.

What they're saying:

District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson described the defendant's actions as "absolutely depraved" following the verdict. "We will continue to help this young girl and her family get the assistance they need to heal and recover from what the defendant did," Austin-Gatson said.

Local perspective:

The Gwinnett County District Attorney's Special Victims Unit led the prosecution with help from the Gwinnett County Police Department. Witnesses traveled from Ohio, where the girl previously lived, to testify about the abuse that started when she was a toddler.