A local judge has imposed a 20-year prison term for a New Mexico man convicted of fondling a young girl on an Amtrak train. Jeffery Moore, 43, was sentenced July 17 by Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert.
A trial jury found Moore guilty of child molestation. Deputy county attorney Jacob Cote said the offense occurred in June, 2016.
Cote said the 11 year old victim had played in a volleyball tournament in California and was returning to Arizona with her team when she was groped in east Mohave County. He said the victim was stretched across two seats when she was awoke from her sleep in the middle of the night as she was being fondled over the top of her jeans.
Cote said the girl texted her mom who told her to inform her coach. He said the coach notified the train conductor and that the girl was able to identify Moore as the perpetrator.
Moore was arrested by police when the train stopped in Flagstaff.
Cote said the defendant testified at trial that he could not have molested the girl because he never left his seat. The prosecutor said the man sitting next to Moore offered useful rebuttal testimony when he told the jury that Moore climbed over him, leaving his seat at least twice during the trip.
