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Jury selection underway for suspected 'Arroyo Molester'
Jury selection starts in Sandoval trial
Updated: Friday, 11 Jan 2013, 12:54 PM MST
Published : Monday, 07 Jan 2013, 5:38 PM MST
ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Jury selection started Monday for the trial of the man nicknamed the "Arroyo Molester." Genaro Sandoval is accused in a series of sexual attacks that started about a decade ago.
Narrowing down the jury pool is taking longer than both the defense and prosecution expected. Both sides say they're concerned with finding unbiased jurors.
Genaro Sandoval wore a tie and dress shirt to court Monday, as both sides prepared to select the jury.
It's taken five years to get here.
This trial deals with the August 2003 attack of an 11-year-old boy. At the time, the boy told police he was walking home from school when a man lured him under a bridge, raped him at gunpoint, then threw money at the boy's feet.
Similar attacks started up again in 2005 in the Northeast Heights. Police alerted the public.
"A suspect would try to lure the kids... Usually maybe helping look for a lost animal or to help with directions, or maybe telling them somebody needs help," Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said in an October 2005 press conference.
Worried parents formed watch groups to safe guard their kids on the way to and from school.
The attacks died down.
Then in 2007 there was a break in the case.
DNA taken from the 2003 rape matched Genaro Sandoval, who had previously been arrested for video taping naked boys in Gallup.
"Based on the DNA, it's definitely him and you're right, it is good to get him off the street," APD Lt. William Roseman told KRQE in November 2007.
Sandoval was charged with five attacks, involving six different victims. The defense tried to get all of these cases separated, delaying the trial process.
Then in the summer of 2011, Sandoval agreed to accept a plea deal the District Attorney's office says took three years to put together. When Sandoval got to court, he turned it down, shocking both the defense and the prosecution.
Further delaying the process, a judge ruled last week to separate the 2003 case from the others, since this one includes DNA evidence.
Jury selection is expected to last into Tuesday, with opening statements happening as early as Tuesday afternoon. The trial should last two to three weeks.
So far, the DA says Sandoval will only go on trial twice. This one for the 2003 rape, and then another trial for the four other cases, provided the defense does not file more motions to severe the cases.
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