EDINBURG - A U.S. Border Patrol agent was cleared late Wednesday of allegations that he molested a teenage relative over a period of seven years.

A Hidalgo County jury found Ronnie Luis Escobar, 38, of Mission, not guilty on five counts of sexual assault and indecency with a child.

"This is one of those situations where the allegations are life-changing," his attorney Luis Singleterry said. "I'm just glad that Ronnie and his family can go back to their lives."

Escobar was arrested by Mission police in May 2007, after the victim reported that he assaulted her several times and in one instance bought her lingerie and encouraged her to wear it.

But jurors found several inconsistencies in her story - chief among them the fact that Escobar was deployed to Afghanistan with the National Guard when some of the alleged abuse incidents occurred, Singleterry said.

"It's obvious she was crying out for attention," he said. "She has a lot of problems. I hope she gets the help she needs."

Escobar was suspended from the Border Patrol without pay upon his indictment in the case. He will likely be cleared to return to work because of his acquittal, local agency spokesman Dan Doty said.

Prosecutors did not return phone calls for comment Thursday.

Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.