A 21-year-old man is behind bars after Morgan Hill police say a 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by someone she met through social media. The report first came in on February 12, and detectives spent the following weeks piecing together what happened before seeking an arrest warrant, according to police.
Investigators identified the suspect as Alexis Javier Mendez‑Gallardo of Freedom, California. He was later found in Watsonville, where officers took him into custody. Police say the case remains active and are asking anyone with information to contact them.
How Police Say the Case Unfolded
According to a Morgan Hill Police Department post, detectives learned that the girl and the suspect had been communicating on Snapchat. Investigators say Mendez‑Gallardo arranged to pick the child up at her home in Morgan Hill, and the alleged assault followed that contact.
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