GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man was convicted and sentenced on Thursday for raping and molesting two young girls over years of sexual abuse, according to a Gwinnett County District Attorney.
A jury announced the conviction of 44-year-old Nelson Ayala on 20 counts of rape, aggravated child molestation and child molestation.
During the trial, evidence presented against Ayala showed he began sexually abusing the older of the two girls back in 2010 when she was just 9-years-old. After experiencing the unimaginable trauma throughout the years of abuse, the victim was unable to recount specific details of her abuse, although her statements made to police were played in court, according to a statement.
According to a statement from the DA, the younger girl was able to emotionally recall the years of physical and emotional trauma caused by Ayala, delivering a powerful testimony about how she endured repeated rapes when she was just 7-years-old.
The younger victim eventually revealed her abuse to her middle school counselor in February of 2019, the DA's office said. The counselor then passed on the information to law enforcement.
A superior court judge sentenced Ayala to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 904 years, the statement outlined. The jury made a swift decision in providing a guilty verdict on all counts after deliberating for five hours.
"“You had no mercy on these children," the judge said before handing down one of the longest sentences in Gwinnett County history.
Both of the victims and their mother gave a tearful impact testimony after the verdict was read, saying that the emotional effects of his abuse are still ongoing today.