WNC man pleads guilty to beating woman with hammer during sex assault

A Western North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to using a weapon and sexually assaulting a woman there, last year. 33 year old Francisco Bastian-Castaneda of Hendersonville agreed to a plea deal on charges of 1st degree sexual offense, assault with a deadly weapon, and 1st degree kidnapping.

Investigators responded to a Hendersonville home where Bastian-Castaneda lived with a woman and two children. Court records say he hit the victim with a hammer and sexually molested her. To make matters worse the incident took place while a 5 year old child was present.

The children are reportedly undergoing heavy counseling after the traumatic event. Bastian-Castaneda has been sentenced and will serve a minimum of 20 years and could serve as much as 29 years.