South Valley man arrested, accused of sexually assaulting and impregnating 15-year-old girl

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- 31-year-old Hector Montez remains in custody after Kings County authorities say he sexually assaulted and impregnated a teenage girl.

"We've made the arrest. However the investigation is still ongoing and there are still questions that need to be answered," said Commander Mark Bevens with the Kings County Sheriff's Office.

On Dec. 17 sheriff's deputies responded to a local hospital to a 15-year-old giving birth.

The victim told them she had been raped by Montez.

She revealed to deputies the two met on social media.

She said Montez picked her up from school because she needed a ride.

However, he refused to take her home and instead drove her to a rural area around 18th and Jackson near the Kings County town of Lemoore.

The victim told deputies that's where he held her down and sexually assaulted her.

"They initially began communicating in February of 2018 and it was in March of 2018 that they met for the first time when he picked her up from school to give her a ride home and that's when the sexual assault occurred," Commander Bevens said.

According to the Kings County Sheriff's Office, Montez was living in the United States illegally.

Originally from Honduras, Montez had been deported already twice before.

He is currently being held in the Kings County Jail on several charges and bail has been set at $5.2 million.

"He's got a significant amount of charges. The rape allegation, the kidnapping, then when you calculate the age of the minor victim those are additional charges as well," said Commander Bevens.

Law enforcement is still awaiting DNA results to show if the baby and suspect are a match.