CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An investigation that began earlier this month led on Friday to the arrest of a Clearlake man for sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl.
Joseph Louis Flores, 39, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Martin Snyder.
Snyder said Flores was arrested for sexual acts with a child 10 years old or younger, oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child 10 years old or younger, aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 with a foreign object, lewd or lascivious acts involving a child and specified sex offense subject to punishment by incarceration for life.
On the evening of Aug. 13 the Clearlake Police Department received information that a 3-year-old girl had possibly been the victim of a sexual assault, with two concerned citizens bringing the child to the police department to report the incident, Snyder said.
Det. Elvis Cook was assigned to the case and contacted the victim and reporting party, according to Snyder.
Snyder said it was determined that there was sufficient evidence to take the female juvenile into protective custody at that time, with the girl released to the care of Child Protective Services and placed into temporary housing.
Det. Cook and Det. Ryan Peterson continued the investigation into the allegations and, with the assistance of the victim, identified the suspect as Flores, Snyder said.
On Friday, at the request of police and the Lake County District Attorney's Office, Superior Court Judge Andrew Blum issued a $1 million arrest warrant for Flores, Snyder said.
Snyder said Det. Cook responded to Flores' residence and took him into custody without incident.
Due to the fact the victim is a minor, her identification is being withheld, Snyder said.
If anyone has information regarding this investigation they are encouraged to contact Det. Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 315.
Clearlake man arrested for sexually assaulting child
- Lake County News reports
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