Illegal alien charged with rape

Thu, 05/08/2008 - 4:39pm
By: Ben Nelms

A 27 year-old Palmetto man was arrested April 27, charged with the statutory rape of a 13 year-old girl at her home on the city’s south side. Police said the man had been living illegally in the United States for 16 years.

Francisco Torres Landeros, a nearby resident of the 13 year-old, was charged with statutory rape, according to Palmetto Police Det. John Cooper.

Cooper said police were called by a family member at the girl’s residence shortly after midnight. The family member told Officer Ron Stripling that Landeros was found in the girl’s bedroom after noises were heard coming from the room. Officers were told that Landeros was found in the bedroom closet naked and that he ran out of the house after being discovered.

A search of the room concluded that there was no forced entry, Cooper said.

Residents at the home were able to provide Landeros’ address, Cooper said, after which Cpl. Michael Upshur and Officer Jim Cash arrived at the residence and secured it. Landeros was subsequently interviewed and admitted that he had had sex with the girl, though he maintained that it was consensual, Cooper said. Landeros told investigators that he had no green card and had been living in the United States since 2002.

Cooper said the result of the investigation appeared to indicate that the sexual incident was not forced.

http://www.thecitizen.com/~citizen0/node/28157