Ricardo Leonel Mejia raped the child in her family's Virginia Beach home last year after her parents hired him to renovate a bathroom in the residence.
Mejia, 35, was caught abusing the child on October 9, 2024 when her mother tried to check on her after hearing noises coming from her bedroom, prosecutors said.
She tried to open her daughter's bedroom door, but it was locked. She pried the door open with a butter knife and saw Mejia naked in her daughter's bed.
He jumped out of the bed, grabbed his clothing and fled through an open bedroom window, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's assistant attorney said.
The girl told investigators that Mejia had vaginal intercourse with her. His DNA and sperm were found on her body, forensic analysis revealed.
Mejia admitted to police that he was 'having a relationship' with the girl, despite knowing she was underage, the prosecution in a press release.
Mejia, a citizen of El Salvador, was in the US illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents confirmed. The agency issued a detainer for his arrest.
Mejia told investigators that he had sex with the girl two times before he was caught in her bed on October 9.
The first incident occurred multiple days before in the family's bathroom. The child's parents were not home at the time.
The second and third rapes took place in her bedroom at night after he broke into the family's home, prosecutors said.
He also admitted to fleeing the scene, telling police he jumped out of the window because he feared a confrontation with the girl's father, prosecutors said.
Mejia pled guilty to three counts of rape of a victim under the age of 13 on June 17 this year.
He was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with 45 years suspended, on October 7. During his sentencing, Mejia apologized to the victim.
'I know I am not the only one experiencing hard times,' he told the hearing, WTKR reported. 'I'm sorry for the pain she is going through in this process.'
Mejia will serve his 30-year sentence and then be transferred over to ICE custody, the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office (VBSO) said.
VBSO notified ICE of Mejia's arrest after a routine query revealed he was not born in the US. Immigration authorities have since lodged a detainer for his arrest.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin branded Mejia's crimes as 'unthinkable' in a press release on October 10.
She also blamed Joe Biden's administration for not removing him from the country.
'Ricardo Leonel Mejia's crimes are unthinkable. This monstrous individual repeatedly raped an 11-year-old child in her own home,' said McLaughlin.
'ICE lodged an arrest detainer to ensure that after his prison sentence, he is removed from our country and not able to prey on any more innocent American children.'
Mejia had previously been convicted on four separate occasions for traffic offenses, according to McLaughlin.
He was slated for deportation, but his July 25, 2023 removal proceedings were canceled after he was ruled a 'non-enforcement priority.'
'The Biden Administration marked this heinous criminal as a non-enforcement priority - allowing him to roam free and commit these child sex crimes,' McLaughlin said.
'These are the type of depraved criminals, our brave ICE law enforcement officers are arresting and removing from our country every single day.'
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