Ex-JBLM soldier raped a 2-year-old child with autism. Now he's going to prison

A former Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for videotaping himself raping a 2-year-old child with autism.

Luis Alberto Morales, 42, also will have lifetime supervision after he is released and must register as a sex offender.

Morales pleaded guilty in May to producing child pornography after federal prosecutors dropped a charge of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.

“This is a horrific crime – words are inadequate to describe the harm done by this defendant,” U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes said in a news release.

Morales’ estranged wife found videos on his cell phone showing the rape in August 2016 and showed them to Army Military Police, prompting his arrest.

He has remained in federal custody as the case wound its way through court.

Prosecutors said the mother was in the hospital when Morales raped the child.

Cox Media Group