Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced that sex offender Neil Becerra was sentenced in Juneau County this afternoon on multiple counts of repeated acts of sexual assault involving three different children. Sauk County Judge Patrick Taggart presided over the Juneau County case, sentencing Becerra, 43, to a total of 30 years confinement in the Wisconsin State prison system. On the first count of repeated acts of sexual assault of a child, Judge Taggart imposed a 25 year sentence; 15 years of initial incarceration followed by 10 years of extended supervision. On the next count of repeated acts of sexual assault of a child, Judge Taggart imposed a 20 year sentence; 10 years of initial incarceration followed by 10 years of extended supervision to run consecutive to the first count. On the final count of repeated acts of sexual assault of a child, Judge Taggart imposed a 10 year sentence; 5 years of initial incarceration followed by 5 years of extended supervision to run consecutive to the other counts. While pronouncing sentence, Judge Taggart stated that “in considering these types of crimes, this is the most aggravated I’ve seen in 21 years” and told Becerra that he “is an extreme danger to children and the public in general.” On June 19, 2014, Becerra pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a child from ages four to 10 on at least three occasions from 1998-2004. Becerra pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old child on at least three occasions from 2012 to 2013. Becerra also pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a third child from ages seven to nine on at least three occasions from 2011 to 2013. Becerra previously was convicted in 2002 of second-degree sexual assault of a child. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen reports that children are this states’ most precious resource and protecting them is a high priority. Individuals who prey on innocent children will be punished.
