Man arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a minor

Juan Chavez, 41, was arrested Feb. 28 on charges of sexual assault on a child under the age of 14 years and lewdness with a child under 14 years of age.

Chavez was arrested following an investigation by Winnemucca Police Department detectives.

According to court documents, the events leading to Chavez's arrest occurred in August or September, around the time the school year began.

The first victim in the case said in an interview with WPD Detective Matt Morgan the assault occurred at Chavez's house.

She said during the interview Chavez would ask her to go into the kitchen, ask her to pull down her pants and pick her up and put her on the counter.

The female juvenile said Chavez would then digitally penetrate her. The encounters would typically last three minutes, she said, and occurred on six occasions. The female victim said she told Chavez "no" each time, but he did it anyway.

The second victim in the case said in an interview with Morgan that during the same period, Chavez would make manual contact with her genitals. She said Chavez, on numerous occasions, put his hands down her pants and touched her while she was sitting on his lap watching television. Other times, she said it would occur when she was standing behind the couch.

Chavez is in the Humboldt County Detention Center on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Justice Court on March 14 at 1:15 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]