A Crowheart, Wyoming, man who’d been accused of molesting a 14-year-old runaway on the Wind River Indian Reservation was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ supervised release.
U.S. Chief District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced Quinlin James Hernandez, 32, in the Casper-based federal court on Wednesday, says a statement by the office of the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming.
A 14-year-old girl who’d been reported missing three days prior was found at Hernandez’s home on April 13, 2024, case documents say. She texted her grandmother to pick her up.
She told police Hernandez had raped her, and she underwent a sexual assault examination, the case affidavit says.
Law enforcement personnel interviewed her briefly the day she was found and arranged a forensic interview for April 18. The child said she snuck out of her house April 10 to hang out with her friend, another juvenile.
Hernandez, who went by “James,” picked the kids up in a silver sedan, and two other minors were also in the vehicle, the affidavit says.
Hernandez reportedly drove the juveniles to his home, where they all drank Black Velvet whiskey he’d bought.
The next night, he tried to kiss the girl and she declined, the document says.
Hernandez became angry and put the girl in a chokehold until she almost lost consciousness, then later raped her while she was drunk on the couch, says the original affidavit.
The girl reportedly told police she tried to resist his force, but he overpowered her, and that he raped her again the following day.
Gathered In Riverton
FBI Special Agent Adrianne Culver interviewed Hernandez on April 23.
He admitted to picking up the juveniles in Riverton and driving them to his home, says the document.
The affidavit says Hernandez at first denied having any sexual contact with the girl, but later admitted putting her in a chokehold, “accidentally” touching her genitalia, then molesting her.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
