Elderly San Angelo Man Indicted for Crimes Against a Child

 

SAN ANGELO, TX – On the afternoon of May, 1, 2020 an officer with the San Angelo Police Department responded to a residence off of Webster Ave. following up on the report of a sexual assault that occurred involving a juvenile victim. 

According to the officer, when he arrived on scene he was met by the mother of the victim who informed officers that she had previously been looking for her daughter and was unable to find her. After searching around the house she found the defendants bedroom door to be locked, and heard laughter coming from inside. 

Moments later the victim came out of the defendant's bedroom where she told her grandmother that the defendant had touched and "licked" her inappropriately.

A responding officer overheard the victim's statement to the grandmother, where the victim was asked to indicate which regions had been violated.

An interview was conducted with the mother and grandmother where it was concluded that the defendant, identified as 66 year old, Miguel Angel Zapata Berumes, was not a relative of the victim, however he had been staying with the family since they moved into their residence back in October of 2019. 

A follow up interview was conducted by a Spanish speaking officer with Berumes at the police station where the defendant gave written consent for a search of his bedroom and agreed to a buccal swab.

On March, 2, 2020 a forensic interview was conducted with the victim where she informed an officer that the defendant lived in the same house with her and would have her knock on his bedroom door where he would let her in, lock the door back, and would proceed by violating her private areas. 

At the conclusion of the forensic interview a SANE exam was conducted on the victim at Shannon Medical Center. 

On March 18, Miguel Berumes was arrested by the San Angelo Police Department where he is currently being held on a $200,000 bond. The defendant was read his Miranda rights, to which he waived before signing the Miranda card. 

During his interrogation, Berumes claimed that he touched the victim approximately twenty times over a time period that was 30 days or more in duration, namely from on or about October 1, 2019 through March 1, 2020 at two different residences. 

The defendant admitted he would keep his door locked where he would have the victim knock on his door before letting her in. Berumes admitted that he had touched the victim with his hands inappropriately on three or more occasions, but never "penetrated" the victim's private areas. 

The defendant also admitted he forced the victim into salacious acts intentionally with the intent to arouse or gratify his sexual desire knowing the victim was a juvenile under the age of 14. 

On May 19, 2020 Miguel Angel Zapata Berumes was indicted on the charge of Sexual Abuse of a Child Continuous: Victim Under 14 which is a First Degree Felony in the State of Texas.

If convicted by a unanimous jury, a first-time offender will face life-altering consequences, including:

• A First-Degree Felony charge conviction

• A minimum 25-year prison term

• A maximum 99-year (life) prison term

• A maximum $10,000 fine

A repeat offender with a prior sexual offense conviction faces an automatic life in prison sentence. If you or someone you care about has been accused of a sexual offense involving a child, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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