Ex-Colorado undersheriff convicted of incest, other counts

A former Colorado undersheriff has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after a jury convicted him of incest and other charges.

The Vail Daily reports 49-year-old Fernando Mendoza was also ordered to spend 10 years to life on probation. He was sentenced Friday.

Mendoza was fired from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department in 2017 amid allegations of sexual harassment of female co-workers. Prosecutors later alleged that he tried to persuade a minor female, to whom he was related by marriage, to post nude photos of herself online.

Prosecutors claimed Mendoza was “grooming” the girl, trying to manipulate her into sexual activity.

A jury convicted Mendoza of first degree aggravated incest, attempt to commit first degree aggravated incest and attempt to commit invasion of privacy for sexual gratification.