After a four-day manhunt for a suspect who sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl in Poway, an arrest has been made, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday.
Jose Santana, 36, was arrested Wednesday evening and booked on one count of lewd acts on a child using force.
SDSO deputies initially responded around 7 p.m. Saturday to a call that a girl was sexually assaulted at the SOFI Apartments on Midland Road. The girl’s friend screamed at the suspect to stop, and the suspect took off on an electric scooter, SDSO said.
Despite a helicopter search, deputies could not locate the suspect that evening. Detectives with the Sheriff’s Child Abuse Unit took over the investigation and, for the next several days, investigators released surveillance video and a sketch, asking for the public’s help in locating the suspected attacker.
Investigators release limited details as new surveillance video shows the suspect’s movements before and after the reported assault. NBC 7’s Dave Summers reports.
It was not immediately clear where Santana was arrested and if tips led to Wednesday night’s arrest.
Video obtained by NBC 7 shows the alleged attacker leaving the complex on a scooter just after 6:04 p.m. The same person was seen entering the property about two hours earlier and making another pass through the complex around 5:52 p.m.
Residents said the reported assault happened inside a laundry building within the complex.
Christine Riney, who lives nearby, said she recognized the suspect after investigators released an image captured from a tenant’s security camera. Riney said she had seen the man on a scooter before and realized it was him when deputies shared the photo.
“People need to be vigilant. If their kids are out, they need to keep an eye on everything. Make sure you’re around because it can happen in an instant,” Riney said.
Neighbors said the area where the suspect was seen is often filled with children, particularly near a bike rack in the parking lot where kids gather and play after school.
A letter sent to residents of the apartment complex stated in part: “We understand incidents like this are concerning, and we are working with police on their investigation. You may see police on the property as their work continue.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Child Abuse Unit at (858) 285-6222 or (858) 868-3200 after hours. You can also remain anonymous by calling San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (858) 580-8477.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department released a sketch of a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Poway on Monday, May 4.
Portions of this story are from an article that was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego and converted into a digital article with AI tools. An NBC San Diego journalist edited this article for publication.