SAN MARCOS, Texas — A 23-year-old San Marcos man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting a victim and recording the act.
On March 20, a jury found Cory Grado guilty of sexual assault and invasive visual recording.
Evidence at the trial showed that Grado recorded himself sexually assaulting the victim. According to the Hays County District Attorney’s Office, when San Marcos police officers searched Grado’s phone for evidence, they found multiple images and videos depicting the assault in graphic detail, as well as close-up photos of the victim’s intimate areas.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard additional testimony from the victim, her boyfriend and her mother, detailing the traumatic effect the crimes have had on the victim. The jury ultimately returned a sentence of 17 years in prison for the sexual assault conviction and a maximum sentence of two years state jail for the invasive visual recording conviction.
“We asked the jury to send a message that these crimes are not tolerated in our community, and that is what they have done with their verdict,” Assistant Criminal District Attorney Elizabeth Schmidt said.
“We want to thank the jurors for their service, especially since they had to review very disturbing evidence. We also want to thank the victim in this case for her bravery and for having the strength to face the defendant in court.”
DA Kelly Higgins also thanked the investigators, prosecutors and jurors.