Coachella man pleads guilty to child sexual abuse charges

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - An elderly man from Coachella was convicted on Thursday of child sexual abuse charges.

Ysidro Anaya Sanchez, 74, pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd act with a child under 14 years. Sanchez admitted the felony counts under a pretrial agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. No charges were dismissed under the plea.

Superior Court Judge Charles Rogers scheduled a sentencing hearing for Aug. 18 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. The sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense under the terms of the plea deal is 16 years in state prison, according to the D.A.'s office.

Sanchez is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to the criminal complaint, the alleged crimes happened between June 2015 and June 2016 and July and August 2019. But other details, including where the alleged offenses occurred or the exact number of children involved, were not available.

Sanchez was arrested in January, 15 2020 after following a sheriff's department investigation initiated after one of the victims came forward.

Sheriff's Investigator Prezell Burgie wrote in a bail-setting declaration that Sanchez admitted to detectives that he had a "problem" with his sexual impulses.

"I asked him if his problem is touching young girls, and he said yes,''' Burgie said. 

No other details were provided.  

Sanchez had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.