Posted on February 7, 2018 by Romeo
Joe Lopez has been granted parole after spending 11 years in prison and the Grammy winning singer and co-founder of Grupo Mazz could be released as early as mid-February.
According to ValleyMorningStar.com, the Texas Pardons and Parole Board granted Lopez parole on Jan. 26 after he served a nine-month sex offender treatment program.
In 2006, Lopez was given 32 years in prison by a Cameron County jury for raping his niece, Krystal Lopez, in 2004, when she was 13. He was sentenced to 20 years for one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, eight years for a second count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and four years for indecency with a child, since Lopez was serving his sentences simultaneously, he was ordered to serve 20 years in prison.
The board’s decision in February 2017 to order Joe Lopez to complete the nine-month sex offender treatment program came after Lopez told the board she opposed her uncle’s parole.
Lopez is currently being held in the Hightower Unit in Dayton, where he is undergoing a releasing process expected to take 30 to 45 days. But the 67-year-old former singer could be released by mid February, according to Andy Kahan, the city of Houston’s victim advocate, as he reviewed the case on February 7, ValleyMorningStar.com reports.
Upon his release, Lopez will undergo “supervised parole” through Oct. 31, 2026.