10 time deported Mexican wanted in sexual-assault cases arrested

By Debbi Baker
1:17 p.m. December 30, 2008

SAN DIEGO — A Mexican national wanted in a series of sexual-assault cases who had been deported from the country 10 times has been arrested, officials said Tuesday.

Carlos Ceron Salazar, 30, of Escondido, was booked into San Diego Central Jail Monday on charges of assault with intention to commit rape, mayhem and sexual battery in connection with a December 2006 attack on a woman who was jogging at Miramar Lake Recreation area, San Diego police said.

The victim told officers at the time that she was jogging on the north side of the lake about 12:25 p.m. when a man grabbed around the neck and forced her to the ground.

The woman fought with the attacker and bit him so hard on the hand that when he jerked it away, two of her teeth were pulled out. She was then able to get away and call for help, police said. Salazar was arrested on unrelated charges of public intoxication by Escondido police about 1:35 a.m. on Dec. 22 at North Escondido Boulevard near West Valley Parkway, Lt. Bob Benton said.

During a routine immigration check at the Vista jail, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials found that Salazar had extensive immigration violations, and further checks found that he was wanted by San Diego police and sheriff's detectives as a sexual-assault suspect, said ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack.

ICE agents turned him over to San Diego police, who took him into custody, Mack said.

A DNA sample taken from Salazar matched DNA that was taken from the attack at Miramar Lake and also matched DNA taken from a September 2004 assault. In that case, a woman jogging along a trail near

Community Road in Poway about 8:30 a.m. was raped by a man who came up from behind her and threw her to the ground, said sheriff's Detective Jose Baltz.

Salazar also is a suspect in a December 2005 attempted sexual-assault case in which another woman was attacked at Lake Poway, Baltz said.

Additional charges of rape with a foreign object and attempted rape will be filed against him, Baltz said.

Sheriff's Department records show that Salazar also had been arrested in 2005 and 2006 on driving-under-the-influence charges.

Salazar is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in San Diego Superior Court. He is being held without bail.

Detectives believe that Salazar could be involved in other attacks. Anyone with information or who believes they may have been a victim is asked to call Detective Baltz.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... d-mexican/