Tuesday afternoon, 34-year-old Rigoberto Mendez Hernandez was arrested by YCSO detectives at his residence in the 47,000 block of Third Street, Ash Fork. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says Hernandez was charged with Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Child Molestation and is being held without bond. In September of this year, detectives received information about the ongoing sexual abuse of a female by Rigoberto beginning when the victim was 6-years-old and occurring over the next several years. The victim, now a young teen, provided specific details of the ongoing abuse to specially trained sexual assault investigators during the course of the investigation. Rigoberto had been a ‘trusted’ adult in the victim’s life during this time. D’Evelyn says during an interview Rigoberto admitted to the years of abuse by blaming the victim for instigating a majority of the activity. A routine records check revealed Rigoberto was in the U.S. illegally.
