(Lawrenceville, Ga., 10/2/25) – A Gwinnett County farm worker pled guilty today to raping a 13-year-old girl at a party.

Sergio Palomares-Guzman, 36, was sentenced to 30 years with the first 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of rape, aggravated child molestation, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, false imprisonment, and cruelty to children in the first degree. As part of the guilty plea, he is required to serve every day of the 20 years and then will be deported.

“We pray that this plea and sentence bring recovery and closure to the victim and her family,” Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said.

Police were called to a Grayson home in June 2023 after the child reported that a man lured her from a barn where she was petting horses to a camper on the property. He then sexually assaulted the child.

Palomares-Guzman’s DNA was found on the child’s underwear.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mikaela Henderson and the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit.