Staff photo / Ed Runyan Susan Molleken, left, stands with her attorney, Lynn Maro, during Molleken’s sentencing hearing Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Judge Anthony D’Apolito sentenced Molleken to 10 years in prison. Molleken pleaded guilty to one count of rape involving a child.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony D’Apolito sentenced Susan Molleken, 41, of Norwood Avenue, to 10 years in prison Tuesday after Molleken pleaded guilty July 17 to one count of rape involving a child.

Molleken was charged with three other counts of rape and could have faced about 40 years in prison if convicted of all counts. Her now-ex-husband, Christopher Figueroa, 44, of Whipple Avenue in Campbell, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in the case July 3, and his sentencing hearing is set for 11 a.m. Sept. 12.

Additional charges against Christopher Figueroa were dismissed in exchange for his guilty pleas. Prosecutors are recommending that he get a 20-year prison sentence, but his attorney can argue for less.

Caitlyn Andrews, assistant county prosecutor, stated in a sentencing memorandum that the prosecutor’s office recommended that Molleken get 10 years in prison. The memorandum states that Molleken and Christopher Figueroa began sexually abusing the child in 2006, and the abuse continued for about seven years.

The filing notes that Molleken claims that she was physically abused by Figueroa and “had no choice” but to engage in sexual abuse of the child, “yet she was free enough to get a divorce from co-defendant Figueroa and move out of the home,” the filing states.

The victim “has no recollection of ever seeing co-defendant Figueroa physically abusing” Molleken, the filing states. The child also recalls that Molleken “was always a very willing participant in the sexual abuse.”

Lynn Maro, Mollken’s attorney, filed a sentencing memorandum with D’Apolito that states that Molleken suffers from intellectual deficits and developmental delays and participated in abuse of the child only because she was threatened by Figueroa.

When Molleken was young, her parents moved every few years, the memorandum states. Her parents claimed they were homeschooling Molleken, but “made little effort to do so,” the memo states. “By all accounts, her younger years were filled with trauma, including being raped as a teen,” the filing states.

The reference to the rape came from an exhibit in an expert witness report from Dr. J. Brams, a defense expert witness. “Brams’ report details the developmental issues and intellectual deficits Susan has as well as the years of emotional, verbal and physical abuse she endured,” the memo states.

Molleken’s time with Figueroa was “filled with emotional, verbal and physical abuse,” it states. “She always had broken bones and bruises but, as is often the case with abuse victims, was afraid to disclose his abuse,” it states.

“They moved to the Youngstown area in 2005 with no friends or family in the area. Susan always worked one or two jobs at a time. Figueroa took her checks, limited the money she could have and isolated Susan from everyone,” the memo states.

He monitored her phone and took all of her mail. “At one point he forced her to live in the car in the driveway,” the memorandum states. “Brams’ report details Susan’s lifelong inability to care for herself or defend herself,” the memo states.

The filing adds that Molleken’s conduct with the child “was the result of threats of physical abuse and death if she did not do what Christopher Figueroa demanded.”

Molleken made brief remarks, saying, “I wish I could have the backbone to stop him,” she said of Figueroa.

Andrews read a letter from the victim, in which the victim said the offenses committed against her “changed the course of my life,” saying Molleken’s actions caused her mental illness, “with borderline personality disorder, bipolar 1 disorder, PTSD, depression and anxiety.” The victim is an adult now.

Maro’s memorandum asked the judge to give Molleken four years in prison.

Have an interesting story? Contact Ed Runyan by email at erunyan@vindy.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday.