Undocumented immigrant arrested for kidnapping and assaulting 11-year-old in Lake Worth

LAKE WORTH, Fla. (CBS12) — A 20-year-old undocumented immigrant has been arrested for allegedly snatching an 11-year-old girl off the street in front of her Lake Worth home and sexually assaulting her.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's (PBSO) arrest report says Marvin Dionel Perez Lopez grabbed the 11-year-old by the hand and forced her into his van where he began assaulting her.

When the child's mother went looking for the girl, she spotted the van not far from their apartment building where the victim and Lopez both lived. The mother spotted them inside and began banging on the van door and shouting.

According to sheriff's deputies, Lopez jumped out of the van and ran away. After the incident, the victim's mother went toLopez's apartment, where his brother was home. The brother called Lopez and told him to come home.

See also: Suspect claimed he killed neighbors over basketball hoop, property line dispute: PBSO says

The mother waited to confront him. Lopez pleaded with her for forgiveness, but there was no way she could, the mother reportedly said to deputies. Then she called the police.

Investigators interviewed the victim, and she told them Lopez had forced himself on her after she repeatedly resisted his advances. She even tried to leave the van, but he pulled her back in. It escalated until Lopez allegedly raped her.

On May 3, PBSO deputies arrived at the apartment to speak with Lopez. As the deputies knocked on the door, they noticed Lopez climbing out a back window and started running, fleeing into an alleyway. After multiple deputies and a K-9 unit searched the van for Lopez, they interviewed his brother, who said that Lopez ran because of what happened with the girl next door.

Palm Beach County Victim Services director Nicole Bishop, says instances like this are unfortunate, but not uncommon.

“Sexual assault is far more prevalent in our community than we would like to believe," said Bishop.

She tells CBS12 News that victims typically know their perpetrators, and in this case she did.

"Stranger rape is far less prevalent than acquaintance rape. So most oftentimes it is someone that the person knows," said Bishop.

On Monday, the sheriff's office confirmed Lopez's arrest, adding that he is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who crossed the U.S.-Mexico Border in early January. He made his way to Florida shortly after. PBSO stated he has an immigration court date scheduled in 2027.

Palm Beach County Sheriff, Ric Bradshaw says this crime never should've happened.

"Here's a Guatemalan, who came into the country illegally was stopped by the border people released, and made his way to South Florida. And now he commits a crime where he held an 11-year-old girl against her will and sexually assaulted her,” said Bradshaw.

Sheriff Bradshaw tells CBS12 News that the federal government needs to do more to protect citizens.

“We grabbed him. He's confessed to the crime. So he's gonna get tried for a capital crime before he even remotely thinks he's gonna get deported. He's gonna do the time here first," said Bradshaw. “The federal government is victimizing the people who live in this country by letting these people in here”

Lopez was arrested on counts of kidnapping to sexually assault a minor, sexual assault of a victim under 12 years old, and resisting an officer without violence. He's being held in the Palm Beach County jail without bond.

If you are someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, you can call Palm Beach County Victim Services at (561) 833-7273.