- October 23, 2025
Mission Woman Found Guilty of Sexual Assault of a Child and Sentenced to 40 Years
EDINBURG – A Hidalgo County jury found Patricia Mendez, 50, of Mission, guilty of Indecency with a Child and two counts of Sexual Assault of a Child. The jury’s verdict was returned on October 16, 2025. The punishment phase began later that afternoon, and the same jury assessed the maximum sentence on all counts.
The evidence revealed that on September 21, 2020, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office responded to Palmview Police Department in reference to a sexual assault report involving Mendez, 38-year-old Julio Jacob Iglesias, and a 14-year-old child.
The jury heard testimony that in May of 2020, the victim had gone to Mendez’s home to spend the night with a close friend: the child of Mendez. That night, Mendez and Iglesias committed the sexual assault against the victim. The report was made 3 months later, after the child was admitted to the Hospital for suicidal ideations stemming from the abuse.
During the punishment phase, Mendez pleaded with the jury to sentence her to a minimal sentence with community supervision. Instead, the jury returned a verdict imposing the maximum sentence on all counts.
On October 20, 2025, Judge Orlando J. Esquivel of the 430th District Court of Hidalgo County, sentenced Mendez to 40 years in prison.
“The jury’s verdict sends a clear message that those who prey on our most vulnerable will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios. “The sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and our community’s unwavering commitment to protecting our innocent children.”
The charges are a result of an investigation conducted by the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and Palmview Police Department, with the cooperation of the Hidalgo and Starr County Children’s Advocacy Center.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Alejandra Robledo Guerra and Andrea Maldonado.
Julio Jacob Iglesias is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing in the 389th District Court of Hidalgo County on November 3, 2025.