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 about midnight Aug. 30 after authorities believed he had taken his daughter with intentions to molest her, according to court records in the case.
He was arrested at 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 younger than 14 to commit lewd or lascivious acts; lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14; and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from reporting a crime.
The criminal complaint alleged that Ramirez committed lewd or lascivious acts Aug. 26, four days before the suspected kidnapping.
Ramirez is being held at the San Benito County Jail on $250,000 bail. His court appearance Thursday was continued so he can hire an attorney. His next appearance, for an arraignment, is set for 2 p.m. Tuesday in room 101.
