Man accused of videoing sex assault offered plea deal

State offers 10 years in prison; his lawyer gives counteroffer

STAMFORD — State prosecutors have offered a Stamford man accused of sexually assaulting a woman on video then threatening to release the video a plea deal that includes up to 10 years in prison.

Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Moran placed the state’s offer to Jorge Hernandez, 38, on the record during a disposition hearing at the state Superior Court in Stamford Tuesday afternoon.

Under the state’s offer, Hernandez would plead guilty to first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault, risk of injury, coercion and two counts of violation of a protective order in return for a 25-year prison sentence suspended after he serves 10 years followed by 25 years of probation.

Criminal defense attorney Victor Biancardi, Hernandez’s attorney, countered the state’s offer with an offer of his own: a 25-year prison sentence, suspended after seven years, and 25 years of probation.

Hernandez’s case was continued until June 14 as the two sides continue to discuss a possible disposition.

Hernandez currently faces second-degree assault, first-degree sexual assault, disorderly conduct, violation of a protective order, fourth-degree sexual assault, disseminating voyeurism material, coercion, tampering with a witness, intimidation of a witness and 17 counts of violation of protective order — charges stemming from several different alleged incidents spanning from May 2020 to October 2021.

The first alleged incident dates to May 13, 2020, when Hernandez was arrested on allegations that he assaulted a woman, leaving her with a bloody nose and a black eye. He was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

That same woman later came forward to police in June 2021 and claimed Hernandez had sexually assaulted and abused her over the course of the prior five months, police wrote in an arrest warrant.

The woman told police that Hernandez had naked photos and videos of her that he threatened to release on social media if she ever came forward, the warrant said. Police said in the warrant that those videos, later obtained by police, corroborated the woman’s accounts.

After the woman reported the alleged abuse to police, Hernandez allegedly used a third party to try and intimidate her, a separate warrant states. Hernandez was charged with tampering and intimidation in that case.