After taking a plea deal for charges of criminal sexual contact in July, Ruben Sanchez was arrested again Tuesday for similar charges.
Sanchez, 39, of Tuscon, Ariz., was arrested Tuesday and charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor, a second-degree felony; and four counts of criminal sexual contact, all third-degree felonies, according to court records.
In a previous case, Sanchez was arrested on June 27, 2018, and charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and two counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, all second-degree felonies; and manufacturing visual medium of sexual exploitation of children, and two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor; all third-degree felonies.
According to court records, on July 31, Sanchez accepted a plea agreement, which required him to plea alford to two of the charges against him. Court records list the plea as guilty.
“(Alford) meaning he continues to claim he is innocent but agrees (the) state can prove his case,” Dianna Luce, Fifth Judicial District Attorney, said after the plea agreement.
In less than a month from the July plea, a warrant was issued for Sanchez’ arrest for allegedly abusing a family member. In May 2019, the then 15-year-old girl accused Sanchez of abusing her in Hobbs and in Arizona.
According to court records, the abuse took place 2008-2017.
The victim reported multiple encounters where Sanchez would “smother” or lay on top of her and touch her inappropriately.
“(Sanchez) would stop and ask for questions,” the report states. “He would ask if she believed the allegations made about his sexually offending against (the two victims from the plea agreement).”
The family member said Sanchez would allegedly come into her room while she was sleeping, and she reported being afraid to disclose the abuse.
“She tried to prevent Ruben from getting on her bed by putting pillows and stuffed animals where Ruben would sit, hoping that he would not touch her if he could not sit down,” the report stated.
According to the report, Sanchez was contacted by Hobbs police on Aug. 8, 2019, and told officers he was advised by his attorney to not comment.
The victim reported the abuse just over a year after two other underage girls — a 14-year-old family member, and a 14-year-old friend of that family member — accused Sanchez of sexually abusing them. In March of 2018, the two girls reported Sanchez had repeatedly abused them. In the first case, the 14-year-old family member victim reported the abuse started before 2016, when she was approximately 12 years old.
The report stated Sanchez would make the first victim watch pornographic videos and he would inappropriately touch her. The victim also said Sanchez would be there while she slept, and try recording her while she took showers.
The 14-year-old friend of the family victim said the abuse began with her in November 2017, when she was approximately 13 years old. According to the report the second victim reported Sanchez would show her pornographic videos while they were alone. Sanchez would pick her up from school and take her to the gym, which is when the victim said they would be alone and Sanchez would abuse her.
“She (the second victim) did not know how to tell him to stop, but the contact was unwanted,” the report stated.
On Wednesday morning Luce filed for Sanchez to be held in pretrial detention. District Judge William Shoobridge will decide if Sanchez should remain behind bars until his trial, which is set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 24.
