GILROY
– City police arrested a 32-year-old Gilroy man Wednesday
morning after a woman told police he had sexually molested her
10-year-old daughter multiple times.
GILROY – City police arrested a 32-year-old Gilroy man Wednesday morning after a woman told police he had sexually molested her 10-year-old daughter multiple times.
Jose Aurillio Cardena Castillo was in county jail Thursday morning on three felony charges of lewd behavior with a child under the age of 14 and one misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure. His bail had not yet been set.
Police normally interview alleged child sexual abuse victims at a special facility in San Jose, with a district attorney and a social worker present. They planned to do so in this case, but the mother of the child said she had heard that Castillo planned to flee to his native Mexico. Due to this perceived need for expediency, police Detective Wes Stanford, who specializes in sex crime cases, interviewed the child at the police station.
The child’s statements gave police probable cause to arrest Castillo, Stanford said, and they looked for him at five or six locations in and around Gilroy until about 2 a.m. Wednesday, to no avail. Later that morning, Castillo presented himself in the police station lobby. Police arrested him at 9:50 a.m.
Stanford did not say whether Castillo denied or admitted to the charges.
Castillo is married to a U.S. citizen who is a relative of the child. His home address is 8171 Hanna St.
Police discovered that Castillo has a criminal record but no prior sexual-related convictions, according to Stanford.
Castillo was scheduled to appear in court today for arraignment.
