By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A 30-year-old man convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl was sentenced Wednesday to five years to life in the Utah State Prison.
Fifth District Judge Meb Anderson ordered Pedro Javier Zuniga Velasquez on Sept. 16 to begin serving the prison term immediately. Zuniga pleaded guilty Aug. 5 to one count of first-degree felony rape.
The court also ordered Zuniga to pay $887.98 in restitution and issued a continuous protective order.
Zuniga was initially arrested Dec. 27 on one count of third-degree felony unlawful sexual activity with a minor. The Iron County Attorney’s Office said the charge was later amended to rape after investigators obtained additional evidence.
The investigation began Dec. 22, 2025, when Iron County sheriff’s deputies received a report that a 15-year-old girl had been raped months earlier and was pregnant as a result of the assault.
According to charging documents, the girl told investigators Zuniga grabbed her by the arm, pulled her onto a couch and raped her while covering her mouth and nose with his hand.
She said she struggled to breathe and began feeling dizzy before she was able to escape and lock herself in a bedroom.
During an interview at the Children’s Justice Center the following day, the girl reported she had never had sex before the assault and experienced pain afterward.
Four days later, Zuniga admitted during a recorded conversation with the girl’s father that he was the father of the baby and took responsibility for the pregnancy, the affidavit states.
Deputies arrested Zuniga shortly after the conversation. During a subsequent interview at the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Zuniga repeatedly responded that he did not know or did not remember and did not want to discuss the assault.
In requesting that Zuniga be held without bail, Iron County Sheriff’s Detective Tyrell Crofts wrote that Zuniga was living in the United States illegally and had no ties to the community.
Prior to the incident, the Iron County Attorney’s Office said Zuniga had previously been accused of rape in California and fled to Utah.
Iron County Attorney Trajan Evans praised the victim for her courage.
“The victim’s courage in reporting this offense resulted in an extremely dangerous individual being sentenced to prison where he can no longer harm innocent victims,” he said.
In a prepared statement, the Iron County Attorney’s Office also credited Crofts, Deputy J. O’Mealey and the rest of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office for an investigation that corroborated the girl’s report.
“It is our office’s hope that Mr. Zuniga is never released, as he’s shown the propensity to commit these offenses,” the statement said.
If and when Zuniga is released from prison, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will place a detainer on him, the office said.