BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A San Antonio man is facing a serious lawsuit decades after he was accused of sexually assaulting his 13-year-old neighbor. The woman, now an adult, claims that Javier Valadez not only impregnated her but also forced her into marriage.
The lawsuit, filed in Bexar County District Court, is seeking over $1 million in damages. The woman asserts that the traumatic experiences she endured as a child have resulted in severe mental health issues.
Background of the Case
Valadez previously faced legal issues related to these allegations. In 1989, a case against him was dismissed after the teenager waived prosecution. However, the recent civil suit has shed new light on their troubling history.
The plaintiff claims that Valadez, who is nearly nine years older than her, seduced her when she was just 13 years old. According to her, he got her pregnant and pressured her into marriage while she was still underage.
The lawsuit accuses Valadez of seducing the teen when she was 13, impregnating her and later forcing her into marriage. The suit seeks more than $1 million in damages. (KSAT)
Records from the Bexar County Clerk indicate that Valadez was granted a marriage license a month after the woman turned 17 in May 1992. At that time, Texas law allowed such marriages with parental consent, though this has since changed with the passing of Texas Senate Bill 1705 in 2017, which tightened regulations on minor marriages.
The couple divorced in 1999. In response to the lawsuit, Valadez’s partner, Angela Alderete, has described the legal action as an attempt to gain money, suggesting that the woman is motivated by financial issues, including owing $50,000 in child support.
Legal Proceedings and Allegations
Valadez has maintained that he married the woman out of compassion, citing her troubled upbringing. Alderete also noted that the woman had been left alone frequently by her mother, leading to various relationships.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Beauregard Fiegel, emphasized that the lawsuit is about seeking justice and accountability for the alleged abuse, highlighting that the woman was only 12 when the assaults began. According to Fiegel, the impact of these events has been lasting and significant for the woman.
Valadez’s partner, Angela Alderete, described the lawsuit as an attempted money grab. (KSAT)
Valadez’s legal history includes being arrested in 2023 on a misdemeanor family violence charge, although that case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence. He has also been investigated twice for indecency with a child, but these investigations ended without any criminal charges being filed against him.
In one instance, a judge even ruled that a report made against Valadez was false, leading to a court order requiring the woman to pay him attorney’s fees, a ruling she disputes.
Valadez was arrested in 2023 on a misdemeanor family violence charge. The case was dismissed months later. (KSAT)
As of now, Valadez has not been convicted of any sex offenses or crimes involving minors. The outcome of the civil lawsuit remains to be determined, and it highlights the ongoing struggles faced by survivors of abuse in seeking justice.
