A 13-year-old girl who was reported missing in Alabama has been found by law enforcement officials in Arizona, and a man from New Mexico has been taken into custody, as per official statements.
The Navajo County Sheriff’s Department reported that Raul Alexis Arellano-Romero, aged 32, was apprehended in Holbrook regarding an ongoing investigation.
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The sheriff’s department stated that the inquiry started after a traffic stop was conducted on Interstate 40 close to North Sun Valley Road.
The sheriff’s department stated that the detective observed someone concealing themselves beneath a blanket in the front passenger seat during a traffic stop. Arellano-Romero asserted that this individual was a 19-year-old female whom he had befriended in Las Vegas. His intention was to transport her to New Mexico.
“The detectives identified discrepancies in Arellano-Romero’s accounts and noticed indications of both anxious and deceitful conduct,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s department stated that it seemed the passenger had modified their appearance using temporary tattoos. Additionally, they were carrying a counterfeit ID.
Following questioning, the woman traveler disclosed her true identity to the investigators. It turned out she was a 13-year-old girl who had been reported as missing from Alabama on April 19th.
The sheriff’s department stated that additional investigations into Arellano-Romero uncovered his arrest in 2024 in Massachusetts for taking the same child away from her guardians without authorization.
Arellano-Romero is being held in custody in Navajo County with a $100,000 bail pending extradition to Alabama.
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