THOUSAND OAKS : Man Arrested in Rape of Teen-Ager
A short-order cook from Thousand Oaks was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of raping a 17-year-old youth from Thousand Oaks, Ventura County sheriff’s deputies said.
Joaquin Franco, 38, who apparently befriended the victim last summer, made unwanted sexual advances toward the boy at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday while they were at the Janss Mall on Moorpark Road, Sgt. Raymond Nagel said.
Nagel said Franco and the youth are unrelated.
The victim rejected Franco’s sexual advances but was overcome by physical force and assaulted, Nagel said. He was treated at Ventura County Medical Center and released, Nagel said.
Police responding to a 911 emergency call from an unnamed source spotted a man matching the description of the rape suspect, then apprehended Franco without incident.
Franco is being held at Ventura County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Ventura County Municipal Court.
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