Overview
- Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which issued a statement Tuesday, confirmed the April 29 arrest of 30-year-old Armando Sanchez-Lopez and said the Utah teen is safe and receiving care.
- Investigators say the teen left Lehi, Utah, on April 24 and a family acquaintance later reported messages claiming she was being held against her will.
- That same night in Litchfield Park, the acquaintance says an unidentified man confronted him and brandished a rifle when he tried to follow after dropping the teen off.
- Detectives later located Sanchez-Lopez and the teen leaving a home on Stella Lane on April 29, detained him at the scene, and identified her as the reported missing juvenile.
- Sanchez-Lopez was booked on allegations of sexual assault, sexual conduct with a minor, kidnapping, aggravated assault, custodial interference, and failure to comply with a court order, and MCSO says he has five prior sex-related accusations as the investigation continues.