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Sophia Richter
Fernando Richter
Florence, AZ – Upon sentencing in Pima County, the Pinal County Attorney’s Office intends to ask the court for a trial date against Sophia and Fernando Richter on charges they face in Pinal County.
The two stand accused of keeping their three daughters locked up in their Catalina home for nearly two years, between March 2011 and September 2013.
A Pinal County Grand Jury indicted the Richters on a total of 24 counts. A Pinal County Grand Jury indicted 34-year old Sophia on nine counts, including three counts of Child Abuse, alleging unreasonable confinement, Class 4 Felonies; three counts of Child Abuse, alleging emotional damage, Class 4 Felonies; two counts of Kidnapping, Class 2 Felonies and Dangerous Crimes against Children (DCAC); and one count of Kidnapping, a Class 2 Felony. Fernando, faces the same counts as Sophia, plus, Sexual Abuse, a Class 3 Felony and a 1st Degree DCAC; Child Molestation, a Class 2 Felony and a 1st Degree DCAC; and three counts of Child Abuse, all Class 4 Felonies.
“When parents fail to protect their children, our office with the help of our law enforcement partners, work together at our Family Advocacy Centers to help minimize the re-victimization of our most vulnerable. Our FACs work to decrease investigation times of child abuse crimes, from an average of six months and 12 interviews per child, to one interview in one day. My goal as Pinal County Attorney, remains keeping our Pinal families safe,” said Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles.
Sophia and Fernando Richter are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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