A Montgomery County, Maryland, man, who immigration officials said was “unlawfully present” in the country, is accused of sexually abusing two of his family members, arrest documents say.
Police said that 21-year-old Nestor Vladimir Lopez Guzman, of Silver Spring, started trying to touch a family member in November 2018. The victim told police in May that the suspect attempted to touch the family member’s breast, buttocks and genitals many times over six months.
Police spoke with another family member after school staff informed Child Welfare Services that the family member had also disclosed Lopez Guzman tried to touch “private parts” on multiple occasions last year.
Lopez Guzman told police that he did touch that family member, but that touching is a common joke in El Salvador, where he is from. He said he never played this joke on the family member who initially reported the unwanted contact.
Montgomery County police took Lopez Guzman into custody on Aug. 18. He is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.
He was held without bond, but a judge reduced his bond to $15,000 during a bond hearing. He was released with conditions, at 9:40 p.m. on the same day he was taken into custody.
Montgomery County’s corrections department contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which had lodged a detainer for the suspect, at 6 p.m. on Aug. 18.
ICE officers in Baltimore took Lopez Guzman into custody on Aug. 20. He was released the following day on Aug. 21 after posting an immigration bond.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been edited to indicate the correct agency that contacted ICE.
