Fugitive Andres Reyes, 73, was arrested in Santa Ana on June 18, 2026, on multiple child molestation charges after spending nearly 20 years on the run.
The Santa Ana Police Department apprehended the suspect following an anonymous tip that he had returned to the location of the original 2008 crime. Authorities took Reyes into custody without incident, bringing a multi-decade manhunt to a close.
The 2008 Crime and Escape
- The Victim: An 8-year-old girl.
- The Perpetrator: Her biological grandfather, Andres Reyes (then 55 years old).
- The Incident: Reyes molested the victim at a Santa Ana home in 2008.
- The Interruption: The victim’s mother walked in, interrupted the assault, and contacted the police.
- The Flight: Reyes fled the country immediately before responding officers could arrest him.
- The Warrant: A $1 million arrest warrant was issued following his escape.
The Capture
Nearly two decades later, detectives with the Santa Ana Police Department Special Crimes Section received a tip that Reyes had returned to the exact same Santa Ana home where the assault took place.
On the morning of June 18, 2026, officers tracked him down and arrested him near the intersection of McFadden Avenue and Baker Street. Reyes was booked directly into the Santa Ana Jail.
Legal Charges and Expected Sentence
Reyes faces multiple child molestation-related felony charges, stemming from the 2008 investigation. Under California Penal Code Section 288(a) (lewd acts upon a child under 14), a conviction carries a standard state prison sentence of 3, 6, or 8 years per count.
However, because the charges involve multiple offenses against a child under the age of 14, and because the suspect fled prosecution, prosecutors can pursue aggravated sentencing. If convicted on all counts, the 73-year-old faces decades in state prison, effectively carrying a maximum sentence of life behind bars due to his advanced age.