Undocumented immigrant arrested for sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl

An undocumented migrant from Guatemala was arrested in Florida last weekend in connection with allegations of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Monday (May 6).

Marvin Perez LopezThe 20-year-old faces several charges, including kidnapping for the purpose of sexually assaulting a minor, sexual assault on a victim under 12 and resisting an officer. He is currently being held without bail. Lopez reportedly confessed last week to kidnapping the child outside her home in Lake Worth, Florida, and forcing her into his van, authorities confirmed.

The victim’s mother reportedly discovered that Lopez was attacking the girl while she was looking for her daughter outside her home. Lopez, who lives in the same building as the victim, reportedly fled the scene after the mother banged on the windows of his van and screamed for help.

Palm Beach County officers later attended Lopez’s home and saw him escape through a back window and flee into an alley before he was eventually arrested Saturday. Lopez reportedly crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in January but later turned himself in to Border Patrol and received an immigration court date set for 2027 as an undocumented migrant.

“Here is a Guatemalan who entered the country illegally, was stopped by the released border crossers and made his way to South Florida. And now he is committing a crime by holding an 11-year-old girl against her will and sexually abusing her,” Sheriff said Ric Bradshaw above the New York Post.

“We caught him. He confessed to the crime. So he’s charged with a capital crime before he even remotely believes he’s going to be deported. He will take his time here first,” Bradshaw added.