Whatcom Co. man arrested on suspicion of child rape after police find victim in stolen vehicle
Police arrested a man on suspicion of child rape and molestation after conducting a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle in Whatcom County.
Lynden police were sent after a stolen vehicle and caught up with on the Guide Meridian just south of the Nooksack River Bridge. A passenger in the vehicle was a minor who told officers she was a victim of sexual assault, according to Lt. Jeremy Bos with the Lynden Police Department. The traffic stop was conducted around 1:12 a.m. Feb. 15 on the Guide Meridian just south of the Nooksack River Bridge.
An investigation led to 23-year-old Ismael Bernabe Francisco being called to the police department for an interview, as he was not in the vehicle. He was booked into Whatcom County Jail at 10:27 a.m. on suspicion of third-degree child rape and second-degree child molestation, Bos said.
Francisco remains in custody at Whatcom County Jail.
Authorities have not identified who was driving the stolen vehicle, who it was stolen from or who reported the vehicle as stolen. Accoridng to Bos, the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
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