ShareThisMANILA- An American is now facing trial in the United States for charges of child molestation in California.
Bureau of Immigration officials said the American, Ron Casulla Fuentes, was charged for violating the California’s law against lewd and lascivious acts on child below 14 years of age.
Acting Immigration Commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma said Fuentes was deported last Jan. 14 aboard a Philippine Airlines flight to San Francisco after his arrest in Nabua, Camarines Sur.
The US Embassy in Manila informed the BI that Fuentes’ passport had been revoked by the State Department.
“He was also placed on our immigration blacklist and is now banned from re-entering the Philippines,” Ledesma added.
The BI chief said Fuentes fled and hid in the Philippines in 2006 after a superior court in California issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
BI-Interpol Unit head Floro Balato Jr. said California prosecutors alleged Fuentes committed the crime on July 24 and 25 in 2004 when he first encountered the victim after communicating with her many times via the community Internet since April that year.
“Fuentes allegedly hired the girl to work as a model and the minor performed at a modeling trade show in San Francisco. After the show, Fuentes drove the girl to his apartment in San Jose where he engaged her in three separate lewd and lascivious acts,” Balato said, citing embassy records.
Balato added the victim recalled her ordeal to her father who in turn reported the incident to the police the following day.