CROWN POINT – Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter announced today that Jorge Alberto Patino has been sentenced to a total of 78 years in the Indiana Department of Correction following his conviction on multiple counts of child molesting.

The charges stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Hammond Police Department involving the repeated sexual abuse of a young child in Hammond between January 2022 and June 2024. According to court documents, the victim, who was between the ages of six and eight at the time of the offenses, disclosed multiple incidents of sexual abuse committed by Patino over an extended period.

Patino was sentenced to:

Count 2 – Child Molesting, Level 1 Felony: 40 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Count 4 – Child Molesting, Level 1 Felony: 30 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Count 10 – Child Molesting, Level 4 Felony: 8 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

The Court ordered all three sentences to be served consecutively, resulting in a total executed sentence of 78 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Christopher Matonovich of the Hammond Police Department and Officer Arthur Latiker with assistance from medical and forensic professionals.

Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for crimes committed against children and reaffirmed his office’s commitment to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of the community.

The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office extends its appreciation to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tara Villarreal, the Hammond Police Department- Detective Matonovich and Officer Latiker, Dunebrook Children’s Advocacy Center, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory and all those involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

Patino is not in custody at this time.