Bell Gardens police arrest man suspected of raping girl

BELL GARDENS (CNS) - A transient suspected of raping a 14-year-old girl at knifepoint was in custody Monday, Bell Gardens police said.

The alleged kidnapping and rape occurred early Thursday morning at an undisclosed location, according to Lt. Dano Neslen of the Bell Gardens Police Department, who described the crime as "horrific."

The girl told police she was coerced into a garage by a suspect later identified as Bell Gardens-area transient Robert Nunez, according to a police statement.

Nunez and a second suspect tied her up, then Nunez raped the girl at knifepoint, Neslen said.

Nunez was arrested near a homeless encampment, after authorities received a tip from the public, Bell Gardens police told Fox11.

Officers and investigators had tracked down and arrested the second suspect Thursday afternoon, Neslen said. That man was identified as 41-year-old Jaomir Perez.

Perez was booked into the Inmate Reception Center on $50,000 bail, according to sheriff's inmate records.

Police had asked the public for help locating Nunez.