|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A Menlo College student is facing three felony charges for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl in his dorm room after giving her alcohol and marijuana on May 5.
San Mateo County prosecutors charged Andres Aguilar, 19, with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor for both forcable rape and oral copulation, and one count of providing marijuana to a minor under 14.
Aguilar met the 12-year-old girl at a bus stop in downtown Menlo Park on May 4 and she told him she was 17, according to police. The following day, she snuck out of her home at around 9 p.m. to meet Aguilar at a grocery store in Redwood City to purchase alcohol, according to police. He brought her to his dorm room on the Atherton college campus where he gave her the alcohol and marijuana before raping her, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told this news organization. She was repeatedly telling him “no” and to stop, according to Wagstaffe.
Following the alleged rape, Aguilar ordered Plan B emergency contraceptive through DoorDash and had it delivered to the college because he was concerned the girl would get pregnant, according to prosecutors.
Police learned of the assault on May 6 when a teacher at the girl’s school informed Child Protective Services.
During the investigation, officers obtained campus security footage showing Aguilar entering and leaving his room with the girl, which helped police identify him as the suspect. The girl said she only knew his first name, according to Wagstaffe. Police later sealed Aguilar’s dorm room for forensic analysis.
“We take all allegations of criminal conduct and misconduct involving our community with the utmost seriousness. In accordance with federal and state privacy laws, we are unable to confirm identities or provide details regarding ongoing investigations,” a spokesperson for Menlo College said in a statement to this news organization.
The private college declined to comment on whether it notified students and staff members about the alleged incident.
Atherton police spoke with Aguilar, who said that he thought the girl was 17, even though he knew that intercourse with her would still be illegal under California law, due to the age difference, Wagstaffe said. He was arrested on May 12.
Aguilar, who is being held without bail, was arraigned on May 15, and is expected to enter a plea on May 21. If convicted, the charges carry a minimum 15-year sentence.
