San Jose

San Jose Man Arrested in Violent Sexual Assault of Girl, 17, Behind Church: Police

A 20-year-old San Jose man was arrested Wednesday in the violent sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl behind a church in an Eastside neighborhood, according to the San Jose Police Department.

At about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Esteban Mosqueda lured the teenage girl to a secluded area of Liberty Baptist Church in the 2700 block of South King Road and violently attacked and sexually assaulted her, police said.

Detectives with SJPD's Covert Response Unit took Mosqueda into custody at a San Jose home Wednesday and booked him into Santa Clara County jail on charges of penetration with a foreign object, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and sexual battery, police said.

"I want to commend our survivor for her strength through this ordeal," police Chief Eddie Garcia said. "I also wish to laud the amazing work of our detectives, who tirelessly followed up leads and used amazing police instincts to identify and take a violent predator off our streets."

The victim's condition was not provided.

Anyone with information about the suspect or incident should contact Detective Beth Stenger of the San Jose Police Department's Sexual Assaults Investigation Unit at (408) 277-4102. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867).

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