LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Heather Richards was the first woman to accuse then-Louisville Metro Police officer Pablo Cano of rape in 2017.
And the five-year prison sentence he pleaded to Monday fell far short of what she'd hoped.
"If I had my my way, someone like him would go away for life," Richards said. "The more I thought about it, and the more I thought that he's not being charged with first-degree rape on on any of them, I was angry. Because that's what he did.
"He violently attacked and raped many, many women."
Cano cut a deal and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor sexual misconduct charges. But that guilty plea only came after investigators found child pornography on his cellphone.
He actually caught another break from much harsher penalties, as his own attorney explained in Monday's hearing.
"It was also a considerable discussion about the U.S. attorney bringing federal charges," said Steve Schroering, Cano's attorney. "They have provided us with a letter declining prosecution, providing Mr. Cano agree to this agreement."
There was outrage online, posts calling the sentence "bogus," "pure B-S" and "unbelievable."
"It's always difficult to pursue cases when there is delayed disclosure," said Kristi Gray, assistant commonwealth's attorney. "We had to make our decisions based on the evidence we have. This case wasn't treated any different than any other sexual assault."
While many rape suspects are arrested, Cano sat free for more than two years as his case lied dormant. He quit LMPD when the accusations came to light — he was never fired — and moved back to Florida.
Pablo Cano (WDRB file photo)
Then, after more than two years of little legal action, the court process ended in an instant, purposely kept from the public eye.
"We were just trying to make it as easy as possible for the victims," said Shannon Fauver, Richards' attorney. "We didn't let the press know it was happening ahead of time, because we didn't want to make it harder on them."
Cano was arraigned, pleaded guilty to a deal kept under wraps and sentenced in 15 minutes. Five women still have civil lawsuits against Cano and the city of Louisville, so the court process isn't over just yet.
"It's definitely a letdown," Richards said.
That leaves a lingering question: Is it justice?
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