Man sentenced to prison for raping 13-year-old girl near UVU campus

PROVO — A Magna man was sentenced to at least 10 years and up to life in prison on Sept. 19 after admitting to raping a 13-year-old girl who had run away from home.

Ryan David Lucero, 36, pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to rape of a child and sodomy on a child, both first-degree felonies.

As a result of a plea deal, charges for aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and endangerment of a child, a third-degree felony, were dismissed.

The sentences in the case, at least 10 years in prison and up to life in prison for each count, will run concurrently with each other and any other case Lucero is sentenced in, 4th District Judge Darold McDade ordered.

On Dec. 17, 2021, charging documents said the 13-year-old girl was using the pedestrian tunnel which goes across University Parkway near the Utah Valley University campus to get to the store to buy shoes. She had run away from home and was barefoot.

Police said Lucero told the girl he was following her, and offered to buy her shoes.

In his plea statement, Lucero said he took the girl to a nearby apartment complex and took her “down some stairs and behind a shed” where he offered her marijuana and had sexual intercourse with her.

A warrant was issued for Lucero after DNA collected during an examination of the girl matched Lucero.

At the time, Lucero was transient and his family reported they had not seen him for months. Officers were able to locate and arrest him using an undercover Facebook account and setting up a meeting.

The assault occurred six months after Lucero was released from federal custody for threatening a Veterans Affairs police officer.