On October 16, 2018, around 4:30 p.m., 34-year-old Rigoberto Mendez-Hernandez was arrested by Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office detectives at his residence in the 47000 block of Third Street, Ash Fork. He was charged with Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Child Molestation. He is being held without bond.
In September of this year, detectives received information about the ongoing sexual abuse of a female by Mendez-Hernandez beginning when the victim was 6-years-old and occurring over the next several years. The victim, now a young teen, provided specific details of the ongoing abuse to specially trained sexual assault investigators during the course of the investigation.
Mendez-Hernandez had been a ‘trusted’ adult in the victim’s life during this time. During an interview on October 16, 2018, Mendez-Hernandez admitted to the years of abuse by blaming the victim for instigating a majority of the activity.
Following booking, a routine records check showed that Mendez-Hernandez was in the U.S. illegally and as a result, Immigrations and Custom Enforcement has placed an Immigration Hold on him pending adjudication of this case.