A routine car stop led to the arrest of a man for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a young girl.

On May 11 around 7:30 am, one of our officers on patrol stopped a silver Ford sedan for numerous vehicle code violations. As soon as our officer approached the driver, he noticed the man appeared nervous. A young girl was also in the car. Our patrol officer sensed something was wrong, so he asked both the driver and the young girl to step out of the car. During the course of his investigation, he learned that the girl, who was not yet a teenager, and the man, who is an adult, were allegedly in a relationship. 

The man, identified as 19-year-old Sunnyvale resident Josue Alavez Garcia, was detained and subsequently arrested on May 29 on a warrant following a review of the case by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. He was arrested on suspicion of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. The girl was returned to her home in Mountain View following the car stop on May 11.

Alavez Garcia was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. 

We’re incredibly grateful for the intuition our patrol officer followed here.

Media inquiries can be sent to PIO Katie Nelson at policepio@mountainview.gov.