Watsonville Resident Arrested for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse Following Recovery of Missing Minor
WATSONVILLE, CA — A 24-year-old Watsonville resident was recently arrested, following a multi-agency operation that successfully located a missing minor from Fresno.
The investigation began after authorities received reports of a 15-year-old girl who had been reported missing from the Fresno area. Intelligence suggested the teenager was located within Watsonville, prompting a coordinated search effort. Approximately three hours after the initial report, detectives from the Watsonville Police Department, the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, and the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Reduction and Enforcement Team identified the minor’s location.
Officers discovered the teenager at a hotel situated on the 100 block of Airport Boulevard. She was found in the company of a adult male, identified by officials as Darwin T Linares. Linares was taken into custody at the scene and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail. He faces charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Police confirmed the teenager is safe, and the investigation remains active.
