Hollister
– San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a local man
Thursday afternoon on suspicion of 200 counts of child molestation
involving a 15-year-old girl.
Hollister – San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a local man Thursday afternoon on suspicion of 200 counts of child molestation involving a 15-year-old girl.
Bernardo De La Cruz, 39, allegedly carried on a yearlong sexual relationship with the girl. The girl and her mother advised the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday of the alleged relationship. De La Cruz was being held at the San Benito County jail for inflicting corporal injury on a child, disobeying a court order and resisting arrest. Detective Bryan Penney arrested De La Cruz Thursday at the jail on 200 counts of felony unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years old and one felony count of sodomy.
“I spoke with De La Cruz at the San Benito County jail,” Penney said. “And during the course of my interview with De La Cruz he made admissions of approximately 200 sexual acts with the juvenile.”
Deputy Doug Dahmen conducted the initial report and investigation. Dahmen then passed the report on to Penney.
De La Cruz estimated he and the girl have allegedly performed and received sexual intercourse and oral sex 200 times over the past year, according to Penney. De La Cruz was a friend of the girl’s family, Penney said.
Sheriff’s Lt. Roy Iler said statistics show that 85 to 90 percent of sexual assault victims know their abusers.
Iler urged families to be alert.
“You’ve got to think that everybody you know could do it,” Lt. Iler said.
De La Cruz is being held at the San Benito County jail in lieu of $2.1 million in bail.
If convicted of a single felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years old, De La Cruz could face up to four years in prison.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335, or [email protected].
