Man accused of molesting relative arrested after skipping court

A North Hills man accused of molesting a family member was due in court Monday after he was taken into custody for failing to appear at a previous court hearing, officials said.

Regino Murrillo-Martinez, 54, was arrested Thursday by Los Angeles police officers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, City Atty. Carmen Trutanich announced Monday.

Murrillo-Martinez was charged March 12 with 21 misdemeanor counts related to the molestation, including sexual battery with restraint, statutory rape and child abuse causing mental suffering, Trutanich said. Officials said the abuse began when the victim, now 18, was 12 and lasted until she was 17.

Murrillo-Martinez was arraigned three days after his initial arrest, and was released on $80,000 bail, Trutanich said. He was ordered back to court Wednesday for a bail review hearing, but when he failed to appear, a judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

If convicted of all charges, officials said, Murrillo-Martinez faces a maximum of 10 years in jail.

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