Police in Ohio said they’ve arrested a man who they believe abducted a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, sexually assaulted her, and was in the process of taking her to Illinois.
WTOL reported that Juan Carlos Morales-Pedraza, 33, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony abduction. An Ohio State Trooper had pulled over 2013 Nissan Sentra on Interstate 80 for failing to move when he reportedly noticed the young girl in the vehicle; the girl and suspect didn’t have identification or speak English, leading a translator to be called to the scene.
During the stop, OSHP says the officer noticed a young female riding with an older male. Police say it was also confirmed that the man had forced the girl to perform acts on him and that the girl was being taken to Chicago from New Jersey. https://t.co/3RXlZQlQXB
— Ohio State Patrol (@OSHP) April 17, 2019
According to the Toledo Blade, authorities believed and confirmed that Morales-Pedraza had sexually assaulted the teen victim, who had been reported missing from Paterson, New Jersey. Morales-Pedraza is suspected to have taken the girl from Paterson and was en route to Chicago, Illinois, at the time of his arrest. Ohio Highway Patrol Seargent Al Romero alleged that Morales-Pedraza had been deported once before.
The victim was transported to the hospital while Morales-Pedraza was taken to Lucas County jail, where he remains as of Thursday.
Ariyl Onstott WTOL discussing OSHP’s rescue of a possible human trafficking victim:
Posted by WTOL NEWS 11 on Wednesday, April 17, 2019
[Featured image: Juan Carlos Morales-Pedraza/Lucas County Corrections Center]
