A Maricopa man -- with a history of sexual misconduct -- was arrested Wednesday for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. The abuse, the girl told cops, had been going on since she was only 8 years old.
Felipe Barrera Pacheco, 43, faces six counts of sexual assault on a minor, three counts of child molestation, and one count of kidnapping for allegedly abusing the daughter of a family friend for years.
"Felipe Barrera Pacheco used his relationship with the victim's family and betrayed that trust and forcibly sexually assaulted this young female victim," Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu says. "Most victims of sexual assault and rape never report the crimes committed against them and therefore live in silence and hamper healing. I'm very proud of this young victim's strength and courage to report the crimes against her and to seek help and justice."
On Tuesday, the PCSO received information that the girl was being abused. Detectives met with the girl, who they described as being "very scared and upset."
The victim told detectives that Barrera has sexually assaulted her repeatedly for about six years. She says he told her that if she told anybody, he would "kill her with a gun." He also told the victim if she told law enforcement, he would "shoot it out with the cops."
Barrera was taken into custody on Wednesday, at which point he admitted to detectives that the sexual assaults had taken place, the PCSO says.
Barrera, who's not a U.S. citizen, has a prior Sexual Misconduct and Disorderly Conduct offense which took place in Santa Cruz County.
Because he has family in Mexico, and given his criminal history, Barrera is being held without bond.
