A convicted murderer pleaded guilty to attempted child molestation and was sentenced on Jan. 5 to 15-75 months after assaulting a girl at Steel Lake Park last April.

Auburn resident Michael Wayne Sanchez, 62, was originally charged with first-degree child molestation but pleaded guilty to the reduced charge in December.

Sanchez, who was previously convicted of murdering a 12-year-old girl in 1991, touched a 9-year-old girl as she was learning how to fish with her mentor from Big Brothers Big Sisters, charging documents stated.

Her mentor took her to the park for their first outing together. While they were on the dock, the girl spoke to many people about fishing and was excited when Sanchez let her reel in a fish he had hooked.

When the victim bent down on the dock near the water to wash fish scales off of her hand, Sanchez also crouched down behind her and touched the girl over the swimsuit she was wearing under her dress, prosecutors claimed.

When the girl and her mentor got into the car to leave, she reportedly said that Sanchez had “touched her inappropriately.” When her mentor asked her what she meant, the girl said he had touched her “private parts.”

The mentor called the girl’s mother before contacting the police. Charging documents said the girl told a police officer Sanchez rubbed her outside of her swimsuit and then inside her clothing, penetrating her.

Since he was arrested, Sanchez has denied touching the victim inappropriately but admitted to helping her catch a fish. He also said he prevented her from falling in the water by grabbing her jacket.

In addition to being a convicted murderer who served 23 years in prison, Sanchez told police he was accused of molesting his biological daughter in 1985 but that his daughter recanted in court.

After his time served, Sanchez will spend 36 months in community custody and will be barred from speaking to the victim and is ordered to have supervised visits with minors for five years.