Thermal man who molested young girl sentenced to 10 years in prison

A Thermal man convicted of multiple charges after molesting a young girl several times and then trying to intimidate her and her mother into changing their stories to spare him from prosecution was sentenced to 10 years in prison today.

Elit Barroso Miranda, 41, was previously found guilty of two counts of lewd acts on a child, 11 counts of violating a protective order and one count each of attempting to suborn perjury and witness intimidation, according to case records. A third lewd acts charge was dismissed.

Miranda was sentenced on Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to John Hall of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

According to a trial brief filed by the prosecution, Miranda turned lascivious with the victim in April 2019.

When the girl told her mother what transpired, the woman was irate and ordered Miranda out of the house, then called 911, according to the brief.   

Sheriff's deputies and social workers interviewed the girl a day later, then summoned the defendant to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office's Thermal station that week for questioning, during which he suggested the child was not a liar but "denied touching her (lasciviously) and stated he only hugs her all the time,'' the brief stated.   

Miranda was taken into custody without incident.   

In the ensuing months, while jailed and in violation of a "stay away" protective order filed by the mother, the defendant allegedly called her numerous times, trying to persuade her to pressure the girl into changing her story so that he wouldn't be criminally prosecuted, prosecutors allege.

Using manipulative methods, Miranda reminded the woman that "she's alone" with several children "and has no money,'' according to the brief. At one point, the woman did take the girl to speak with the defendant's attorney, but there was no disclosure regarding what was discussed, authorities said.

The case proceeded to trial.   

Court records show Miranda has prior misdemeanor convictions for presenting false identification to a law enforcement officer and being an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle. He has no documented prior felony convictions.