Jose Delacruz Isidro, aged 54, pleaded guilty to the charges on August 11, 2025, as per the court documents available. In accordance with a plea agreement, a more serious allegation of second-degree rape was removed from consideration.
This plea deal stipulated a 25-year sentence, of which 11 years would be suspended as per the terms outlined in the Washington County Circuit Court documentation.
Judge Brett R. Wilson delivered the sentence during a hearing on January 7.
As a result of his conviction, Isidro will be classified as a Tier III sex offender, according to Judge Wilson.
Isidro was apprehended in December 2021 at a residence in Hagerstown. His Honduran passport lists him as Jose De La Cruz Isidro, although court records indicate his middle name may be recorded as either De La Cruz or Delacruz.
Charging documents state that Isidro is believed to be an undocumented immigrant, based on his own admissions.
During the January 7 hearing, Washington County Deputy State’s Attorney Sarah Mollett Gaumer indicated that Isidro would have to register as a sex offender for life once he is released from prison, assuming he remains in the United States.
A translator was present during the January 7 court session to assist Isidro in understanding the proceedings.
According to Mollett Gaumer, because Isidro’s conviction is for a violent crime, he must serve at least 50% of his sentence before he can be considered for parole.
Isidro has already accumulated credit for 1,129 days of time served, which translates to roughly three years and one month, as noted by Assistant Public Defender Robert Sheehan.
A person named Jose Isidro, matching his birth month and year, was reported as a state prison inmate on January 15, according to the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services website.
During the hearing, Mollett Gaumer informed Judge Wilson that the state’s recommendation for the plea agreement and the corresponding sentence primarily aimed to allow the young victim to continue her healing process and to move forward with her life.
In previous assessments in 2023 and 2024, Isidro was found incompetent to stand trial, according to records available online. However, in an April 2025 court session, he was deemed competent for trial.
The determination of a defendant’s competence to stand trial relates to their capacity to aid in their own defense and comprehend the legal procedures involved.
Upon his release from prison, Isidro will be under supervised probation for five years, in addition to the lifetime sex offender supervision. He is prohibited from any contact with the victim and is not allowed unsupervised interactions with minors.
Furthermore, Isidro is mandated to participate in and successfully complete sex offender treatment, in addition to being subjected to GPS monitoring and routine polygraph assessments.
Reporting by Julie E. Greene, The Herald-Mail / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
