Sheriff Margaret Mims addressed the media Wednesday morning, shortly after deputies arrested a suspected kidnapper and rapist of a 10-year-old girl.
Deputies arrested 23-year-old Kalvin Cardenas at his home near Gettysburg and Winery following an overnight standoff.
Sheriff Mims said the arrest was the result of somebody recognizing the suspect's vehicle from the description given by the rape victim. The vehicle was described as a brown truck with a white stripe. "The caller that let us know that they remembered a call in Dinuba in May in which the same vehicle was described in the attempted kidnapping of a young girl on her way to school in that city," said Mims.
The Fresno County Sheriff's Department and Dinuba Police Department worked together to follow up on the lead, which led them to the Clovis home of Cardenas around 3:45 a.m.
Sheriff Mims says Cardenas abducted the little girl on her way to school by forcing her into his truck and driving 30 miles, to a remote area, where he bound and molested her. The little girl managed to untie herself after her attacker left and was found partially clothed, walking down the road. "This little girl was a great witness. She remembered a description of the suspect, a description of the vehicle, and that along with the prior case, helped us develop it and come to where we are this morning," said Mims.
Sheriff Mims says there were other people inside the home that came out when officers arrived but the suspect did not. There was reports that the suspect had access to a weapon inside the house so SWAT was called to the scene. A search warrant was obtained and tear gas was administered, forcing the suspect to surrender.
The suspect was taken into custody.
Sheriff Mims says Cardenas was not a registered sex offender.
The Sheriff also thanked the Dinuba and Fresno Police Departments for their assistance in the case and said she was proud of her detectives who worked all night long to catch the suspect.
