By Brandi Makuski

A 12-person jury has convicted a 50-year-old Stevens Point man for multiple charges related to child sex assault.

Antonio Saenz. (Courtesy Portage Co. Jail)

Antonio Saenz held his head in his hands while Judge Robert Shannon gave the jury final instructions prior to deliberations on Nov. 4, but showed no emotion when the verdicts were read. The six men and six women on the jury returned their verdict in just over an hour — guilty on all counts.

Saenz was convicted of touching two teenager girls’ buttocks and breasts multiple times over several months in 2014. He is also told the girls, who were 14 and 15 at the time, he wanted to have sexual intercourse with them.

He is also masturbating in front of the girls, and exposed himself to them multiple times.

According to the complaint, Saenz would purchase the girls alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana and imbibe the substances with them. Detectives from the Stevens Point Police Dept. obtained a Facebook conversation between the defendant and a victim which showed Saenz encouraging the victims to come to his home and smoke marijuana, and engage in sexual activity.

District Attorney Louis Molepske said his office was “pleased” with the verdict.

“In light of the fact we had two juveniles that were sexually assaulted, I’m happy this individual has been held accountable, and ultimately we hope the victims in this matter can move past this,” Molepske said after court was adjourned. “The fact that they testified affected them deeply.”

Saenz faces a maximum of 94 years is prison for two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 16, a felony with a maximum sentence of up to a $100,000 fine, up to 40 years imprisonment or both for each charge if convicted.

He is also charged with two counts of exposing his genitals to a child, and two counts of intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child.

Saenz returns to court for sentencing on Feb. 17 at 10 AM.