Arrest Made In Abduction, Sex Assault Of Sonoma Girl, 14: Sheriff

SONOMA, CA — Sonoma County sheriff's deputies arrested a 49-year-old man on suspicion of the abduction and sexual assault Tuesday morning of a 14-year-old Sonoma girl as she walked to school, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said.

Jesse Leon Granado-Lopez, who lives in Sonoma, is also suspected of trying to kidnap a second girl, sheriff's Spokeswoman Misti Wood said.

"At approximately 8 a.m. today, dispatchers received a call from Altimira Middle School staff that a student was sexually assaulted while she was walking to school," Wood said. "During the same time frame, another call came in that a man with a similar description tried to abduct a second student."

Deputies and detectives quickly responded to the school at 17805 Arnold Drive to speak with the victims and search the area, Wood said.

Within two hours, deputies found and arrested the man they believe to be responsible: Granado-Lopez.

"We are confident that there is only one suspect, who is in custody," Wood said.

Regardless, she said extra patrols are assigned to the area for the remainder of the week.

"We know that parents and students are understandably very concerned about these crimes," Wood said. "We recommend that students walk to school in pair or groups, be aware of their surroundings, and call 911 if they see anything suspicious."

There was a delay in the sheriff's office releasing Granado-Lopez's identity because he was not booked into jail until after he received care at a hospital for a medical condition unrelated to the crimes he is accused of carrying out Tuesday.

Sonoma County sheriff's records show Granado-Lopez was booked into jail at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday and was being held without bail on suspicion of several felony counts, including kidnapping to commit rape, lewd and lascivious acts on a minor, sodomy of a minor, kidnapping a child and oral copulation of a child by force or fear.

—Bay City News Service contributed to this report.