40-year prison sentence given to would-be rapist

A judge sent a sex offender to prison Monday for up to 40 years for felony attempted sexual assault with a deadly weapon and felony indecent exposure.

None of the four victims of 23-year-old Adam Garcia were in district court to make victim-impact statements, but District Court Judge David Gamble said letters from two of the women Garcia threatened made him believe they were completely terrorized.

"It is something that I hope and pray I never have to contemplate, or for that matter anyone I know," he said.

Garcia, who was arrested May 26 and is being held on $100,000 bail, said he was sorry. He wiped away tears throughout the hearing.

"I apologize to all the victims from my heart," the Gardnerville man said. "I'm sorry for what I've done."

Several reports of indecent exposure were made to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office before a search on a sexual offender site linked descriptions to Garcia.

Using a knife, he tried to pull a female jogger into his vehicle about 6:15 a.m. May 16 on Centerville Lane.

A similar sexual assault occurred in Carson City when Garcia dragged a female jogger across a street and tried to get her in his car. But those charges were dropped in the plea agreement.

"He's a sexual predator," said Kristine Brown, chief criminal prosecutor for the Douglas County District Attorney's Office. "There's no doubt about it."

Garcia's attorney, Terri Roeser, described him as a man with a two-sided nature. She said he was both extremely remorseful, but also not sure he could stop future events.

"My heart aches for him when I think about what he could have been and could have done, because of what he's lost," she said.

She asked the court not to make a knee-jerk reaction in his sentencing.

The 12- to 32- month sentence for felony indecent exposure will be served concurrently with the attempted sexual assault. Garcia has prior indecent-exposure convictions in Los Angeles County and Mono County, Calif.

Felony charges of second-degree commercial burglary and assault with intent to commit a felony were dropped in Mono County.

Garcia, who has a child with his girlfriend, will be under lifetime supervision when he is released from prison.

Contact Maggie O'Neill at mo'neill@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 214.