Full Notification

Miguel Montes Lopez, age 42, of Santa Barbara, was arrested for the felonies of child molestation and child abuse. The victim is a juvenile family member.

On June 12, 2014 at 9:00 p.m., Santa Barbara Police Department Officer John Nelson responded to a local youth shelter to admit a juvenile seeking accommodation. Law enforcement is required to investigate the circumstances surrounding juveniles checking-in to these facilities. Upon arrival Officer Nelson learned that the juvenile wishing to be admitted into the shelter had run away from home and was seeking refuge from sexual and physical abuse being perpetrated by a relative, Lopez. Officer Nelson conducted a preliminary investigation, admitted the victim into the shelter, and obtained counselling support for the victim from the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. Santa Barbara County Child Welfare Services was notified of the situation by shelter staff.

On June 13, 2014 SBPD Crimes Against Persons Detectives Crystal Bedolla and Charlie Katsapis conducted follow-up investigation in this case. Investigation revealed that in recent months the victim had been sexually and physically abused on multiple occasions by Lopez. The detectives obtained a $100,000.00 felony arrest warrant for Lopez for the aforementioned crimes and a search warrant for his residence on the 500 block of Coronel Place. At 1:10 p.m. Detective Bedolla, Detective Katsapis, and others contacted Lopez at his residence, arrested him, and served the search warrant.

Lopez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on the aforementioned warrant.