'You Failed To Keep Your Children Safe,' Judge Tells Father, Sentences Him To 35 Years In Abuse Case

FARIBAULT, MN — A Rice County judge sentenced Ricardo Ortiz to more than 35 years in prison this month after a jury found him guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting two of his biological daughters.

Judge Anderson sentenced Ortiz to 280 months (23 years, 4 months) for the older victim and 144 months (12 years) for the younger victim, to be served consecutively.

According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Ortiz, 47, is now incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.

Ortiz also faces separate attempted murder charges after prosecutors say he broke into a neighbor’s apartment in March and stabbed the man following noise complaints. A settlement conference in that case is set for Oct. 7.

"You failed to keep your children safe," Judge Karie M. Anderson told Ortiz at his Aug. 5 sentencing. "It’s an egregious crime, a horrific crime, invading their safety, their security. A parent is supposed to provide that for their children. You’re the person who took that all away."

In June, a jury convicted Ortiz on eight counts of criminal sexual conduct.

The victims testified that the abuse began when they were in elementary school and continued for years, including incidents in the bathrooms of the family home.

They also told jurors that when Ortiz learned they had disclosed the abuse, he assaulted them again, in one instance, strangling the older daughter with a belt.

"My [children] are strong," the victims' mother told Ortiz at sentencing. "They’re warriors. I forgive you for the hurt and torture you put me through, but I will never forgive you for what you did to [them]."

Chief Assistant Rice County Attorney Wendy Murphy, who prosecuted the case with Assistant County Attorney Kathryn Burbank, said Ortiz showed a pattern of control and intimidation, including during trial, when he interrupted attorneys and tried to stare down witnesses.