SAN JOSE, Calif -- Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies arrested one man found with a missing San Jose girl on a Valley Transportation Authority train Tuesday.
According to deputies, two Santa Clara VTA Fare Inspectors came to the discovered the victim who reported she had been the victim of sexual abuse by the suspect, Merced Pacheco, 23 who was also being detained for fare evasion. While checking proof of payment on VTA's light rail system, the fare inspectors found the young woman had an expired VTA Youth Pass and no identification. Pacheco also failed to produce proof of payment, and both were asked to deboard the train.
As the fare inspector asked more questions of the victim, she told the inspectort she was being held against her will by Pacheco.
Deputies arrested Pacheco for suspicion of unlawful intercourse with a minor and false imprisonment. The victim , who was also listed as a missing person, was taken into protective custody.
"Thanks to the swift action and keen situational awareness of the two fare inspectors, deputies were able to respond quickly to the incident that was unfolding, which we hope has prevented a heinous crime from continuing," said Captain Robert Schiller of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department.
Merced Pacheco
