Man arrested, charged with sexually assaulting girl

readingeagle.com
by Reading Eagle
Originally Published: 12/20/2011

Berks County detectives said Monday that they have arrested a Mexican man who has been living illegally in the United States for nearly two decades on charges he sexually assaulted a girl in her home several times.

Francisco Garcia Huerth, 39, of the 800 block of Buttonwood Street surrendered to detectives Thursday, one day after Detective David McQuate obtained arrest warrants on rape, indecent assault of a child and related offenses.


Francisco Garcia Huerth

When Huerth surrendered, he identified himself as Martin Jaime Silva - the name he assumed when he entered the country illegally 18 years ago, investigators said.

Authorities could not verify Silva's name so they enlisted the help of an agent with the federal Department of Homeland Security's Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Detectives learned of his real name and birthplace in Mexico.

The agent filed a federal order that will keep Huerth in jail until the sexual assault case is resolved.

Huerth was arraigned before District Judge Stuart D. Kennedy, who set bail at $500,000.

According to detectives:

McQuate of the district attorney's child abuse unit began the investigation in June after receiving a report from Berks County Children and Youth Services that a 17-year-old girl claimed Huerth had sexually assaulted her in her mother's Reading home. She said the assaults began when she was 6 and continued until she was 14.

During an interview with McQuate on Aug. 30, Huerth admitted sexually assaulting the girl at least five times.

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