The district attorney’s office has charged the county man
responsible for a statewide Amber Alert and accused him of
kidnapping his 13-year-old daughter days after committing lewd acts
against her, according to court records.
The district attorney’s office has charged the county man responsible for a statewide Amber Alert and accused him of kidnapping his 13-year-old daughter days after committing lewd acts against her, according to court records.
Prosecutors charged Marcelino F. Ramirez, 34, in connection with the Amber Alert issued around midnight Tuesday after authorities believed he had taken his daughter with intentions to molest her, according to court records in the case.
He was arrested around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday in San Bernardino County after a witness reported seeing a suspect fitting the Amber Alert description.
The witness reported seeing him driving the 1997 Odyssey van in question on southbound Interstate 15 north of I-215. The California Highway Patrol pulled him over and arrested him – with a large amount of cash – and found the girl uninjured and asleep in the back of the van.
The San Benito County District Attorney’s Office filed charges later that same day. Those allegations include felony counts of kidnapping a child under age 14 to commit lewd or lascivious acts; lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14; and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from reporting a crime.
The criminal complaint alleged that Ramirez committed lewd or lascivious acts against the girl Aug. 26, four days before the suspected kidnapping.
Ramirez is being held at the San Benito County Jail on $250,000 bail. He had his court appearance Thursday continued so he can hire an attorney, according to records. His next appearance, for an arraignment, is set for 2 p.m. Tuesday in room 101 before Judge Steven Sanders.
The judge also issued a protective order barring Ramirez from coming within 100 yards of the suspected victim.
The maximum prison time for the offenses includes eight years for kidnapping, eight years for lewd acts and one year for dissuading a witness or victim, according to the California Penal Code.
