Dominick Valle-Buitrago is accused of sexually assaulting a child inside a bathroom at the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park on Thursday, Oct. 23, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
Valle-Buitrago was identified as a suspect after officers received a tip from a parent. Officers then conducted surveillance on the 19-year-old before establishing enough probable cause to arrest him, police said.
Following a week-long investigation, Valle-Buitrago was taken into custody on suspicion of sexual battery, assault with intent to commit a felony, false imprisonment, lewd act on a child, kidnapping and annoying or molesting a child under 18 years old, police said.
The SFPD said in a statement online that the case was “extremely high priority” for the department and that its crime lab fast-tracked processing DNA evidence.
“The SFPD poured resources into this case to get this suspect in custody and bring peace of mind to our youth, parents and everyone else in San Francisco,” SFPD Interim Chief Paul Yep said Friday. “This was a team effort.”
Since the assault, SFPD has increased patrols in the area, authorities said. Park officials also said earlier this week that they have established new safety measures, including stationing a ranger near the restrooms between 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays and installing a new security camera in the area, according to the report.