An undocumented immigrant who illegally crossed the Mexican border into the US has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl.
Marvin Perez Lopez, 20, was arrested Saturday by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office after allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor under the age of 13.
Lopez, who has confessed to the crimes, came to the United States from his native Guatemala in January.
After being captured by Border Patrol, he was released pending an immigration court date some three years in the future – in 2027.
Marvin Perez Lopez, 20, was taken into custody by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for an incident involving the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor under 13 years old
Lopez reached Florida in January this year, where he allegedly committed his heinous crimes against a pre-teen girl who was in the sixth grade.
The kidnapping took place in a residential area of Lake Worth Beach, south of West Palm Beach.
Lopez allegedly raped the girl in a van parked in front of her parental home.
Incredibly, the girl’s mother punched the side of the van where her daughter was being held and was able to escape.
Lopez then ran out of the van, saying he was sorry and asking for forgiveness.
The child and Lopez live in the same apartment complex, according to the affidavit.
The mother initially did not call the police because she feared her own immigration status would be questioned. She had also had a previous incident when her daughter was taken from her by the authorities.
The 11-year-old girl told investigators how Lopez grabbed her hand and told her to “get in the van.”
She explained how he started touching her and she pushed Lopez away and was able to get out of the van and he was able to pull her back into the vehicle.
The girl then told investigators how Lopez sexually assaulted her.
Police then went to Lopez’s apartment to question him, but as they did so, he escaped through a window in the back of the house.
Lopez’s sister-in-law now seemed to know what he had done.
“It was nine o’clock at night and the mother came into my house and said something happened to her daughter and Marvin,” Hermencie Vasquez told WPTV. “I asked Marvin what he would do if she got pregnant and if he would be responsible, and he said yes, he would be responsible for the child.”
Lopez is currently being held at the Palm Beach Country Jail without bond. Police say he has admitted to the charges against him.
It was employees of the Guatemalan Mayan Center who alerted the police to the assault.
“Our work in the community has paid off because we have a good relationship with that center,” Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
“We have a lot of people here in Palm Beach County who may or may not be illegal, and they are being victimized. They shouldn’t be afraid to call us. We’re not going to call the Border Patrol if they’re victims and haven’t committed a crime. We’re going to help them.
‘Before him [Lopez] “Even if he even remotely thinks he’s going to be deported, he’s going to spend his time here first,” Bradshaw explained.
Lopez had come to Florida from Guatemala, where he allegedly committed his heinous crimes against a young teenager.
When migrants cross the U.S. border, they are assigned a hearing to explain to an immigration judge why they should not be deported.
The hearing is often scheduled years in advance.
Immigrants are given a Notice to Appear when they enter, but the document must also be filed in court by the Department of Homeland Security.
“They know they’re going to have a hearing many years from now and during that time, just from that hearing, they could get, for example, a driver’s license,” immigration attorney Richard Hujber told WPTV.
“If they apply for asylum, they can also get a work permit, and no one looks at the merits of whether they have a legitimate, valid asylum claim.”
When migrants cross the US border, they are assigned a hearing to explain to an immigration judge why they should not be deported (file photo from April 2023)
If you do not do this, the hearing cannot proceed and no decision can be made.
The incident comes just months after three undocumented immigrants from Guatemala were accused of forcing a woman into a car and sexually assaulting her at two locations in Palm Beach County.
All three suspects, 29-year-old Andres Felipe Morales, 30-year-old Darinel Ordonez Jjimenez and 31-year-old Marcos Felipe Ramirez, were arrested and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail.
Morales is charged with assault and false imprisonment, while the other two are being held on two counts of conspiracy.