Jose Loya is looking at numerous felony charges after his arrest during a home invasion robbery. Selma police say after rummaging through the home demanding money, he sexually assaulted a 12 year old girl.
Selma police say 35 year old Jose Loya fought back when officers confronted him inside a home that police say he unlawfully entered looking for cash.
Myron Dyck, Selma Police Department: "We don't have a weapon that we've located at this time. It appears that it was more, his physically being able to overpower."
To protect the identity of the young victim, action news is not revealing the home where police say the child and family live.
"Hopefully she'll be able to move past this and unfortunately in society we do have people like that who will prey on children and this was possibly an example of that."
Investigators believe the suspect entered the home through an unlocked door and spent several minutes inside before one of the adult residents was able to escape and call for help. A toddler was also inside the home but was not physically harmed.
Loya has some criminal past. In 1999 he was convicted of possession of narcotics. Part of his sentence included a treatment program. Selma police say their previous contact with him did not involve sex crimes.
Selma police say the victims have seen Loya before but did not know him personally. Loya lives about a half of a mile from the victim's home. Selma police plan to ask for at least 5 felony charges including home invasion, sexual assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
