Judge: Jury should decide fate of woman charged in videotaped sex acts

A Las Vegas judge ruled Wednesday that a jury must decide on 28 charges against a woman who prosecutors say participated in videotaped sex acts with children.

Lawyers for Deborah Sena had argued that she was a victim of domestic violence and was forced into the attacks by her husband, Christopher Sena.

“I find that there was a factual dispute as to whether there were prior acts of violence in the home,” said Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa. “There was no evidence of such on the videotaped evidence I reviewed, and the testimony of witnesses in this case conflicted as to that fact.”

The judge said a jury should decide on the credibility of the witnesses.

“The defense of duress does not negate a defendant’s criminal state of mind when the applicable offense requires the defendant to have acted knowingly or willfully,” the judge added.

Prosecutors said the charges against Deborah Sena, which include sexual assault, incest, child abuse, open or gross lewdness and use of a minor in the production of pornography, involved multiple children over the span of several years. She originally faced 30 counts, but prosecutors dropped two of those charges after testimony concluded last week in the preliminary hearing.

Christopher Sena’s ex-wife, Terrie Sena, pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of sexual assault. She faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison.

Prosecutor Jim Sweetin said the same offer was extended to Deborah Sena, but she refused to take the deal.

The three Senas and their children lived in a trailer in the 6000 block of Yellowstone Avenue, near the intersection of Lake Mead and Hollywood boulevards. Not all of the children who were abused were Sena family members, according to authorities.

Deborah Sena’s lawyer, Kristina Wildeveld, has said her client was a victim of Christopher Sena, who was arrested Sept. 18 after Deborah Sena, a woman and a child told a family law attorney about the abuse. That attorney contacted police, who seized recording equipment from the home.

Images and videos depicting the adults engaged in sex acts with children were also found, leading to the arrests of Deborah Sena and Terrie Sena last month, according to police.

Wildeveld also argued that the statute of limitations on some of the charges against her client had run out.

After Wednesday’s ruling, Wildeveld said she would ask a District Court judge to throw out the charges.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker