Crime Tip Leads to an Arrest in Sex Offense Investigation
Ocean City, MD- (8/7/2024): Through a coordinated effort between Maryland and Virginia law enforcement agencies, Antonio Garcia, 33, of Millsboro, Delaware, was arrested in connection to a sex offense involving a minor that occurred on July 31, 2024, in Ocean City, Maryland.
Officers with the Ocean City Police Department responded to a hotel near 117th Street and Coastal Highway about a sexual offense that occurred midafternoon on July 31, 2024. Officers met with a mother who informed them that her six-year-old son was sexually assaulted by an unknown adult male in a publicly accessible bathroom at the hotel. The mother told officers that she could identify the male, and several concerned citizens chased the suspect until they lost sight of him near an alleyway on 116th Street.
A forensic interview of the juvenile was conducted regarding this incident. The juvenile described what occurred during the assault and provided a detailed description of the suspect. The description provided by the juvenile was similar to the male observed on surveillance footage officers collected from nearby businesses. A public assistance social media post was disseminated asking for public assistance in identifying the suspect.
On August 2, 2024, detectives with the Major Crimes Unit received a tip from a reliable source who believed the suspect in this case was Antonio Garcia. Detectives were able to gather additional evidence to identify Garcia as the suspect. Detectives obtained a warrant for Garcia’s arrest for third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense, second-degree assault, false imprisonment, and indecent exposure.
Detectives had reason to believe that Garcia had fled the Ocean City area. Detectives requested a GPS location ping on Garcia’s phone based on this information. Garcia’s phone pinged in Virginia. Detectives believed Garcia was attempting to evade law enforcement regarding this matter. Through a coordinated effort between the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigation Division: Major Crimes Unit, and the Virginia State Police Division Six, Garcia was successfully located and taken into custody in Villa Heights, Virginia. Garcia is awaiting extradition back to Maryland.
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