Rape suspect missing after deportation to Mexico


07:35 AM CDT on Friday, August 14, 2009

By MONIKA DIAZ & DAVID SCHECHTER


August 14th, 2009


DALLAS — Jose Rico, who was accused of raping two young girls made bail and was deported to Mexico. Now he is nowhere to be found.

For months, families in a northeast Dallas lived in fear after two girls — ages 12 and 14 — were home alone and bound after they were raped by a man. In March, relief came for many when police identified Jose Adan Rico as their main suspect.

He was arrested on a burglary case and then allegedly linked to the assaults while in jail.

"I am scared that he might come back illegally and do the same thing again," said Evelyn Camancho, a neighbor. "He's going to do that to somebody else."

In March, Rico's bond for the burglary charge was set at $10,000. Later in the month, a judge ordered "no bond allowed." The sexual assault charges were filed in April and he was later indicted.

But on August 6, a judge reinstated Rico's burglary bond. An illegal immigrant, Rico posted bail on Monday from the Dallas County Jail and was then deported to Mexico on August 10. Rico's bail was revoked a day after his release.

There is now a warrant out for his arrest.

"They went back to the judge and the court and told them we need to raise this bond because we think he's going to flee," said Raul Reina, Dallas Sheriff's Office. "But by that time, he had already been turned over to INS custody and he had already been deported."

It was a devastating legal blow to the alleged victims.

According to immigration officials, when Rico came into their custody they checked their files and found no warrants or charges of a violent crime. Immigration officials in Washington D.C. are reviewing the circumstances surrounding Rico's release.

E-mail mdiaz@wfaa.com and dschechter@wfaa.com



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