KY - Man in the country illegally accused of raping 15-year-old Hardin County girl

Posted: Apr 03, 2018 1:52 PM PDT
Updated: Apr 03, 2018 2:55 PM PDT
By Gil Corsey

VINE GROVE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Police in Hardin County say a man who was in the U.S. illegally forced himself on a 15-year-old girl.

Ever Reyes-Fuentes, 26, was in court Tuesday. He's now facing allegations of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and tampering with physical evidence.

Vine Grove Police Chief Kenneth Mattingly said Reyes-Fuentes was a house guest staying with a family when he allegedly attacked the teen.

"This is a small town, and we don't have a lot of violent crime or crimes of this nature," Mattingly said.

Court records say Reyes-Fuentes went into a 15-year-old girl's room at 1:30 a.m. on March 19. Police say he trapped her hands beneath her body, ripped off her clothes and raped her.

The court records also say Reyes-Fuentes took this 15-year-old girl's phone and deleted messages that would have got him locked up.

"The victim relayed to her parents about what had transpired the previous night and called us immediately," Mattingly said.

But when police discovered that Reyes-Fuentes was in the country illegally, they decided to get him into custody as soon as possible.

"I determined that he was here illegally. He had already been deported one time back in 2010," Mattingly said. "So in lieu of going to interview him prior to arresting him, the decision was made by myself and the prosecuting attorney to just secure warrants for his arrest on concern that he could flee the country."

Kentucky State Troopers arrested him on a job in Ashland. Reyes-Fuentes was brought back to face the charges in Hardin County on Monday, but his immigration status makes what happens next unclear.

In court, the judge made it clear Reyes-Fuentes needs to say behind bars.

"There's an ICE hold, so he's not going to be released," the judge said. "He may end up being picked up before we can get to him again."

Mattingly said he will stay in custody for at least two or three days.

Arraignment is now scheduled for Thursday, because Reyes-Fuentes asked for a translator. He remains behind bars in the Hardin County Detention Center with a $150,000 cash bond.

http://www.wdrb.com/story/37872190/m...in-county-girl

Another, among thousands each year, rape on US soil that happened because of our government's failure to secure our borders and adequately enforce our existing immigration laws.