Ricardo Leonel Mejia after admitting to raping an 11-year-old girl will spend 30 years in prison in Virginia Beach

Mejia, 35, raped the child in her family’s Virginia Beach home last year after her parents hired him to renovate a bathroom in the residence

The Norfolk based contractor was caught abusing the child on October 9, 2024 when her mother tried to check on her after hearing noises coming from her bedroom at 2.30 am

Finding her daughter’s bedroom door locked, she pried it door open with a butter knife and saw Mejia naked in her daughter’s bed

He jumped out of the bed, grabbed his clothing and fled through an open bedroom window

The girl told investigators that Mejia had vaginal intercourse with her, his DNA and sperm were found on her body

Mejia admitted to police that he was ‘having a relationship’ with the girl, aware that she was underage

He pled guilty to three counts of child rape in June and on Oct. 7, he was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with 45 years suspended

ICE issued a detainer for the arrest of the pedophile a citizen of El Salvador, who is in the US illegally, that takes effect after he serves 30 years in prison

Ricardo Leonel Mejia, [photo], 35, pled guilty to three counts of child rape on June 17, knowing fully well his target was a minor. The pedophile was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with 45 years suspended

An 35-year-old man who admitted to raping an 11-year-old girl, will spend 30 years in a US prison. 
Ricardo Leonel Mejia was handed a 75-year sentence, by a court in Virginia, but 45 of those years was suspended.
Mejia, a Salvadoran citizen living in US illegally, was based in Norfolk, Virginia and working construction. He was hired to renovate a bathroom in the at the family’s Virginia Beach home last year. He was caught after sneaking into his client’s home in early hours to have sex with their minor child inside her bedroom. The pedophile was caught abusing the child on October 9, 2024.
Around 2.30 am, the mother hearing noises from her daughter’s room went to check on her but found the bedroom door locked. The mother pried the door open with a butter knife and saw the contractor they’d hired naked in her daughter’s bed.
The adult male jumped out of the bed, grabbed his clothing and fled through an open bedroom window, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s assistant attorney told the court at trial.
The girl told investigators Mejia had vaginal intercourse with her and forensic analysis of sperm found on her body, matched with Mejia’s DNA.
Interviewed by police Mejia admitted he was ‘having a relationship’ with the girl, undeterred by the knowledge that she was minor.

Mejia admitted to police that he was ‘having a relationship’ with the girl, despite knowing she was underage, at his sentencing hearing apologized to the victim: ‘I know I am not the only one experiencing hard times. I’m sorry for the pain she is going through in this process’

Mejia told investigators that he had sex with the girl two times before he was caught in her bed on October 9.
The first incident occurred several days prior in the family’s bathroom. The child’s parents were not home at the time.
The second and third rapes took place in her bedroom at night after he broke into the family’s home, prosecutors said.
He also admitted to fleeing the scene, telling police he jumped out of the window because he feared a confrontation with the girl’s father, prosecutors said. 
He pled guilty to three counts of rape of a victim under the age of 13 on June 17 this year. 
He was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with 45 years suspended, on October 7.
At his sentencing, Mejia apologized to the victim: ‘I know I am not the only one experiencing hard times,’ he told the hearing.
‘I’m sorry for the pain she is going through in this process.’ 

After Mejia, a citizen of El Salvador, serves his 30-year sentence with the Virginia Department of Corrections, he will be handed over the ICE

The convict has been living in the US illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents confirmed. The agency issued a detainer for his arrest.
He will serve his 30-year sentence and then be transferred over to ICE custody, the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) said.
VBSO notified ICE of Mejia’s arrest after a routine query revealed he was not born in the US. Immigration authorities have since lodged a detainer for his arrest.

Ricardo Mejia [photo], had previously been convicted on four separate occasions for traffic offenses. He was slated for deportation, but his July 25, 2023, removal proceedings were canceled

Mejia had previously been convicted on four separate occasions for traffic offenses, according to McLaughlin.
He was slated for deportation, but his July 25, 2023, removal proceedings were canceled after he was ruled a ‘non-enforcement priority.’