By DAVID LOPEZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com
SAN BENITO—The Harlingen Police Department arrested San Benito resident Jesus “Jesse” Garcia Montez, Jr., Wednesday, on sexual assault charges.
A Harlingen PD press release stated that an investigator from the Harlingen Major Crimes Unit worked on the case and was able to identify Montez as the suspect.
“A warrant for his arrest was issued,” read a Harlingen PD press release.
Montez, 39, allegedly admitted to his crime through a recorded telephone call with the victim, a junior at San Benito High School whose mother he was dating.
The recording, shared by the victim on her social media page Sunday, has been viewed by almost 20,000 people. The victim prefaces her post by writing, “I’m posting this because this happened to me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I went to my mom and told her and showed her the recording, and she didn’t believe me, she believed her boyfriend, saying he had not done anything, but the recording has him admitting it.
In the audio, Montez can be heard talking to the victim.
“Jesse, have you told my mom about what you did?” the victim says.
“No, why would I do that? I’m going to get in trouble,” he replies.
Montez can be heard telling the victim that he doesn’t want to tell her mom, his alleged girlfriend. He says he wants to talk to his mom about it, but doesn’t want to be turned in to the police.
“Jesse, can you do me one favor?” the victim interjects.
“Anything,” he replies.
“Since I’m not going to say nothing, I want to hear you admit to what you did to me…”
“I’ll tell you in person, he said.
“I can’t do it in person, it’s gonna hurt me.”
Montez continues by saying he is suspicious of being placed on speaker during the call and of others being in the room, able to hear him. The victim assures him that she is alone in her room and will not tell anybody.
He apologizes, but she presses on.
He then admits explicitly to his act of sexual assault towards her.
“And I’m sorry,” Montez continues. “I don’t even remember half the night. I was drunk, and I’ve been trying to remember what the [explicit] I did to you like, literally, I don’t even remember walking outside… But I remember I did that to you, and I apologize. If I could take it back a thousand times, a million times…I swear to God I would.”
On Tuesday, police located Montez at a Harlingen residence and took him into custody without incident. He was booked into the City Jail and arraigned by a Municipal Court Judge.
His bond is set at $100,000.
“They found him already, he got arrested. Thank you everyone for your love and support,” the victim posted on social media after Montez’s arrest.
The victim’s mother was also jailed and charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive.
1 comments
What a brave young lady. I happy to know that not only did she speak up but she did something about it. As for that horrible individual may he rot in jail for stealing a child’s innocence.