Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Suspect Following Special Victims Unit Investigation
LINDSAY, CA — January 5th 2026 — The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit (TCSO-SVU) has concluded a month-long investigation resulting in the arrest of a 47-year-old man in connection with the sexual assault of a minor.
The investigation began after detectives were assigned a case involving a 14-year-old juvenile who recently gave birth. According to official reports, SVU detectives utilized investigative resources to identify the suspect as Delfino Miguel Montes. Results from the investigation identified Montes as the biological father of the child born to the juvenile.
On January 3, 2026, at approximately 1:46 p.m., authorities located Montes within the city limits of Lindsay. He was taken into custody without incident by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and subsequently transported to the South County Detention Facility for booking.
Montes faces multiple felony charges under the California Penal Code, including:
- Penal Code 288(c)(1): Lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.
- Penal Code 288.4(a)(1): Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes.
- Penal Code 288.4(b): Attempted contact with a minor for lewd purposes.
Jail records indicate that Montes is currently in custody as of 01/07/26 and is being held on a $150,000.00 bond. Montes is scheduled to appear in court on January 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office continues to review details related to this case. Officials encourage anyone with relevant information to contact Detective Ryan Corum or Detective Oscar Sanchez of the Special Victims Unit at 559-733-6218. The department also accepts anonymous tips through their dedicated email service at tcso@tipnow.com.
