A 21-year-old San Bruno resident was arrested on May 27 and is facing trial after he allegedly convinced a 12-year-old to meet with him and sexually assaulted her, San Mateo District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe announced Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, Gael Barajashernandez initiated a conversation with the victim on Instagram and asked how old she was in May.
Despite the victim saying she was “13,” although she was 12, the suspect reportedly continued the online and text conversation with the victim that included sexually explicit matters, prosecutors said.
Moreover, the DA’s attorney said Barajashernandez convinced the victim to sneak out and meet him at her middle school and reportedly told her to turn off her phone’s location feature.
Based on the report, Barajashernandez allegedly took explicit pictures of the victim on his lap and sexually assaulted her, before pressing her to meet him again and bring alcohol.
The prosecutors said the victim’s aunt suspected she was meeting someone and took her phone to find the messages.
Barajashernandez reportedly agreed to meet with the victim again on May 27, when he was arrested for sexual assault, prosecutors said.
Barajashernandez is currently in custody facing a preliminary hearing. The bail is set at $200,000.