Clown Arrested in Calif. Child Kidnap Rape
Police said DNA database led to match in alleged rape of 12-year-old girl.
March 26, 2011— -- A professional clown has been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping and rape of a 12-year-old girl nine years ago in Orange County, Calif., and now police say they fear there may be more victims.
Fullerton police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said 41-year-old JoseGuadalupe Jimenez of Anaheim -- who uses the stage name "El TinLarin" -- was arrested Friday after investigators matched his DNAto evidence from the attack, The Associated Press reported.
A man in a clown mask and makeup grabbed a girl at a fast-food stand just before midnight in January 2002, drove to a nearby school parking lot and raped her, then molested her again in his van before she managed to escape, Goodrich said.
"She was abducted and raped by an unknown man that at the time was only described as wearing a clown outfit," Goodrich told ABC Los Angeles station KABC-TV.
Investigators got a break last year when Jimenez provided a DNA sample following his arrest in Newport Beach on suspicion of physically abusing a child, Goodrich said.
Investigators collected the suspect's DNA and placed it in a database.
"His DNA was taken from that arrest, was put in the system, and then a few months later we got a hit, in February," Goodrich told KABC-TV.
"If you have a person willing to grab a 12-year-old girl and sexually assault her, no telling how many potential victims we might have," he said.
Police seized dozens of costumes and masks Jimenez wore when he appeared as a clown at children's parties, saying they hope that if there are other victims, the evidence will help them find them.
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