RivCo Man Arrested In Sexual Assault Of 14-Year-Old Girl

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA — A 20-year-old Cathedral City man was arrested this week in connection with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl with intellectual disabilities, according to the Cathedral City Police Department.

Police said the assault was reported at about 6:50 a.m. Jan. 1 and occurred in the 69000 block of Victoria Drive. Investigators said the juvenile victim was walking southbound on Date Palm Drive in the early morning hours when she was approached by an unknown man, later identified as Enrique Bautista Vasquez, 20, also of Cathedral City.

According to police, the suspect coerced the girl into going to his residence, where the sexual assault occurred.

Detectives were notified and began an investigation, identifying both the residence and a suspect description. On the morning of Jan. 16, detectives, assisted by patrol officers, served a search warrant at the residence, police said. During the search, investigators located evidence related to the crime.

Before the search was completed, Vasquez was located and arrested. He was later booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center on $1 million bail.

Vasquez was arrested on suspicion of violating Penal Code sections 286(b)(1) and 288(a), police said.

Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Cathedral City Police Department at (760) 770-0300, Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Barnett at (760) 770-0381, submit a tip through the department’s website, or email tips@cathedralcity.gov.