Police arrested a 36-year-old San Jose man on suspicion of
sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Gilroy High School boy, police
said.
Police arrested a 36-year-old San Jose man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Gilroy High School boy, police said.
Jason Mendoza, 36, was arrested Dec. 1 after taking the Gilroy teen back to his San Jose home, intoxicating him and sexually assaulting him, police said. A Gilroy High School counselor reported the assault to police Nov. 30, police said, but Sgt. Jerry Neumayer did not know how the counselor became aware of the incident. Police initially believed the alleged crime occurred in Morgan Hill, but ultimately authorities determined Mendoza assaulted the teen, a student at GHS, at his San Jose apartment on Snell Road.
The teen reported that he met Mendoza at the Denny’s restaurant on Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill Nov. 26. Neumayer did not know how the victim got to Denny’s but said that he was alone when he met Mendoza. The two had known each other for about six years and met while volunteering at Swank Farms in Hollister, Neumayer said. Last week’s incident was the only instance of sexual abuse police were aware of, he said.
The teen agreed to go to Mendoza’s apartment, where Mendoza gave the boy alcoholic drinks then sexually assaulted him, police said. Mendoza later took the victim back to Gilroy.
About 8:30 p.m. Dec. 1, the Morgan Hill Special Operations team arrested Mendoza at the parking lot of McDonald’s, 6990 Chestnut Ave. in Gilroy. Mendoza was not an employee there but police “knew he was going to be there,” Neumayer said, without specifying the reason.
Police conducted a search of Mendoza’s San Jose apartment and found and seized evidence, Neumayer said. He would not specify what kind of evidence was found.
Mendoza was arrested on suspicion of committing sex acts on a child, including sodomy and oral copulation with a person under the age of 18, and committing a felony while released on bail for other charges, Neumayer said.
At the time of the incident, Mendoza was out on bail after being arrested in October by San Jose police on suspicion of similar charges with a young victim, Neumayer said. That case is being investigated by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Neumayer said. Mendoza is currently in custody.
Anyone with information about this crime, or anyone who believes they may have been victimized, can call Morgan Hill Police Detective Carson Thomas at 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at 947-7867.
