Illegal immigrant Juan Leon-Gomez is being held on a $1 million bond in Stark County Jail on charges of raping and impregnating an 11-year-old Ohio girl.
News quickly spread of the tragic story after Leon-Gomez’s May 1 arrest, but his immigration status went unreported until Friday, when police confirmed with Cleveland 19 News that he is in the country illegally.
Leon-Gomez, 26, was arrested at his residency in Massillon after the 11-year-old’s mother reported her missing. When police arrived at the scene, Leon-Gomez turned off the lights and hid the girl in an upstairs bedroom closet, according to the police report.
According to The Canton Repository, he now faces charges of felony rape and obstructing official business. He could face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years.
When asked during his May 3 court appearance if he speaks English, Leon-Gomez responded “no,” saying he speaks Spanish and is from Guatemala.
The judge also placed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold on Leon-Gomez, meaning he’d be handed over to ICE if he were to post bail.
Several news outlets used the story to criticize Ohio’s recently-passed “heartbeat bill,” which bans abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detectable in the unborn child—even in cases of rape and incest.
“Ohio’s abortion bans have real consequences,” a Jezebel headline stated.
“Girl, 11, forced to keep baby conceived during rape,” said another outlet.
Leon-Gomez’s arraignment is currently scheduled for May 20.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
