Maryland Immigrant Rape Case Ends In Child Porn Plea

ROCKVILLE, MD — A Rockville High School student who was charged and then cleared of rape in a case that drew national attention has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, an image of the 14-year-old girl who had accused him of the sexual assault only to later recant the charge. Jose Montano, 17, originally from El Salvador, admitted Friday that he had a lewd image of the girl on his cell phone, reports The Washington Post. Montano and a friend had been charged in March with raping the girl in a school bathroom during school hours.

In May, authorities dropped the rape charges filed against Montano and the friend, Henry Sanchez-Milian, 18, of the Aspen Hill, saying the evidence in the case was inconsistent with the allegations. The girl had planned the sexual encounter with the two boys, according to text messages between the girl and Montano, said Andrew Jezic, the attorney for Sanchez-Milian. Rape charges were officially dropped on May 9 against the teens.

Patch does not normally name juveniles accused of crimes but not charged as adults. Attorneys for the teens have said, though, that they wanted full reporting of the case, including the names of the teens charged.

The images, according to the teens’ attorneys, had been sent by the girl to Montano who shared them with Sanchez Milian. Sanchez Milian was charged as an adult and the case is pending. Montano was charged in juvenile court.

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Prosecutors then filed child pornography charges against Montano and Sanchez Milian over images on their cellphones of the girl.

The case had received heavy attention around the country, including from the White House because of the brutality the girl reported and because the teens charged had entered the United States illegally. "This is a tragic event. It's horrendous, horrible and disgusting," said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on March 21, several weeks before the charges were dropped.

Montano's attorney, Jose Canto, told The Post Friday that “I think he has a chance to get a green card.”
(AP Photo/Brian Witte)