Man Charged for Kidnapping and Sexual Assault of Girl Walking to School
Photo: Jesse L Granado-Lopez
SONOMA — A man in custody faces charges for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl on her way to school. While authorities were investigating the incident, he allegedly attempted to abduct another girl.
The suspect Jesse L. Granado-Lopez, 49 of Santa Rosa, was arrested by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputies on January 7. Granado-Lopez has been denied release on bail, pending a court appearance on January 23.
Granado-Lopez was taken into custody about two hours after he allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old girl. The victim was walking to Altimira Middle School when she was grabbed at knifepoint and forced into a car.
The suspect allegedly took the victim a short distance away to sexually assault her. Then he drove her to a different location before releasing her. She made her way to school where staff phoned the police.
The first incident happened at approximately 8 a.m., about a half a mile away from the school. The second girl was approached in the same area at approximately 8:30 a.m., after the first victim was released.
The second victim was also walking to school when the suspect attempted to grab her. However, she fought back, ran away and phoned 911 for help.
Both girls provided sheriff’s deputies with similar descriptions of the suspect and the car he was driving.
Granado-Lopez faces multiple charges involving the use of a deadly weapon to commit sexual assault. His charges include forcible rape, oral copulation with a minor, and kidnapping. He was also cited for driving without insurance.
