Man Arrested for Statutory Rape of a 15-Year-Old Girl who Went Missing
BERKELEY — The long-arm of Berkeley PD searching for a missing teenage girl reached into the Central Valley. A man was subsequently arrested for taking this minor from her family’s home without permission and statutory rape of the victim.
The victim’s family reported the 15-year-old girl was missing on the morning of July 20. Officers searched southwest Berkeley looking for her to no avail.
Meanwhile, detectives investigating the girl’s disappearance learned that she might possibly be at a home in Stockton. Based on this information, detectives obtained a warrant to search for the girl at the suspect’s Stockton residence.
Inside the suspect’s home, detectives located the missing teenager. The suspect who is a truck driver, 25-year-old Lovepreet Singh was later arrested in Emeryville. He was taken into custody not far from where the victim lives.
Singh was transported and booked into Santa Rita Jail on July 21 at 3:27 a.m. Singh remains in custody inside the county lock-up in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Singh was booked on suspicion of child stealing PC 278. His other charges include arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd and lascivious behavior PC 288.4 (B).
Further investigation involving the events surrounding the girl’s disappearance resulted in a third charge. Detectives also arrested Singh on suspicion of committing statutory rape PC 261.5 (D) with the girl.
The teenage victim has been safely reunited with her family.
