NewsNational

Actions

1 of 3 fugitives accused of raping Ohio teen girls has been captured

1 of 3 fugitives accused of raping Ohio teen girls has been captured
Posted at 8:47 PM, Jul 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-05 20:47:47-04

One of the suspects sought in a nationwide manhunt connected to the alleged rapes of two teenage Ohio girls was arrested Thursday in Texas, according to US Marshals.

David Ramos Contreras, 27, of Mexico, was arrested in Lubbock in northwest Texas.

"The diligent and dedicated work of our fugitive task force, along with the US Marshals in Lubbock and our local partners enabled this arrest to happen quickly and safely," US Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio Pete Elliott said.

Authorities said tips and other leads led to the arrest of Contreras, who was captured while hiding under a bed.

Two suspects are still on the loose. There is a $10,000 reward for information that leads to their arrests.

 

They are accused by police in Bowling Green, Ohio, of kidnapping and raping two sisters, ages 13 and 14.

The men are classified as dangerous, police said. It's not clear whether they're traveling together.

Nationwide warrants were issued for Contreras, Juan Garcia Rios Adiel and Arnulfo Ramos after an alleged incident last week at a Days Inn motel in Bowling Green, Deputy Chief Justin White said Tuesday in a statement.

The sisters were staying at the hotel with their parents when four men held them for a time against their will, White said. Later, the girls' mother took them to be examined at a hospital, he said.

Police learned of the incident around 11 p.m. June 28, Lt. Dan Mancuso said Wednesday, adding he was unsure of the date of the alleged attack.

A fourth man, Simon Juan Thomas, 24, of Guatemala, was arrested the next day, and charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a misdemeanor, jail records show. He was being held by the Wood County, Ohio, sheriff on $50,000 bond.

Police believe the men had stayed at the Days Inn for about a week before the alleged crimes, they said.

All four suspects were found to have "fraudulent paperwork" documenting their status as immigrant workers, White said.

"We are investigating an alleged sexual assault, not their immigration status," Whitetold CNN affiliate WTVG.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also involved in the manhunt, Bowling Green police said.

Contreras previously has been deported, White said.