A San Luis Obispo County man wanted on suspicion of child molestation and rape was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday before he was able to get on a one-way flight to South America, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's officials say detectives began an investigation into 36-year-old Daniel Ramirez-Gutierrez earlier this week after receiving information that he had molested an 11-year-old girl.
The sheriff's office says the child disclosed that Ramirez-Gutierrez, her stepfather, had been molesting her since she was five.
The girl's mother also reportedly told investigators that for several years, Ramirez-Gutierrez had been forcing her to have sex with him. The woman said Ramirez-Gutierrez became suspicious that he was under investigation, packed up all his belongings and left home.
Sheriff's officials say they were able to track Ramirez-Gutierrez to LAX with help from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
Ramirez-Gutierrez was arrested on suspicion of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 by force, continuous sexual abuse of a child, sexual intercourse or sodomy with a victim under 10-years-old, rape by force/fear, and rape by threat of retaliation and was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail.
