Joseph Lacour-Benavidez sentenced to 20 years in Albuquerque child sex case

Joseph Lacour-Benavidez was sentenced in Albuquerque after pleading guilty to child sex crimes. A judge ordered him to serve 20 years in prison.

Lacour-Benavidez pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of child abuse. The plea included two counts of criminal sexual communication with a child.

The sentence was handed down last week. In April 2025, Albuquerque Police found two runaway juveniles inside his home. The runaways were ages 11 and 14.

Investigators discovered text messages on the devices. The messages showed Lacour-Benavidez had been in a sexual relationship with the 14-year-old. That relationship lasted several months, according to investigators.

Lacour-Benavidez was already a registered sex offender. That registry status stemmed from the 2002 rape of a 12-year-old child.

State law requires convicted sex offenders to register their home addresses. Registries allow law enforcement to track individuals convicted of specific sexual offenses. Prison terms in New Mexico are served in state correctional facilities.

He now heads back to prison. Albuquerque law enforcement closed the investigation following the plea.