Habitual Criminal Sentenced to Prison After Lewd Assault on Minor

SAN ANGELO, TX – A San Angelo man was sentenced to prison on Monday after taking a plea deal on a number of felony charges including sexual assault of a child.

According to court documents, on Sep. 13, Nathaniel Molina, 22, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place. 

Molina was no stranger to the courtroom as he first stepped foot in the 119th District Court in Jan. 2019 for unauthorized use of a vehicle. At that time the 18-year-old was caught stealing a broken down 2012 Chevy Malibu and then dropping it off across the street from the Yes Way on N. Chadbourne.

He pleaded guilty to the theft charge and in exchange Molina was given two years probation. At this point Molina is a registered felon. A year and a half later Molina was arrested again. This time it was for more serious crimes. 

On Sep. 14, 2020, Molina was arrested for carrying a pistol on the Central High School Campus. At the time he was 19 and was not a student at the school. He was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place and, due to the stolen car incident, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He was indicted for the charge in Nov. 2020. 

After that, officers with the San Angelo Police Department were alerted that a child had made an outcry of sexual assault. The 14-year-old accused Molina of assaulting her. She claimed that he took her to a motel on N. Chadbourne and sexually assaulted her. At the time of the assault Molina was 20-years-old. 

Molina was arrested once again for the sexual assault of a child charge on Sep. 19, 2020. He has remained in the Tom Green County Detention Facility since that day.

On Monday Molina was sentenced to five years for the sexual assault of a child and three years for for the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place. The sentence will run concurrently.

He will now have to register as a sex offender.