20-year-old, arrested for having sex with 13-year-old
Girl’s mom allegedly knew, is also jailed
A 20-year-old Albuquerque man was arrested Wednesday after Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies say he had sex with a 13-year-old girl he referred to as “little girl” and his “wife.”
The girl’s mother was also arrested because she knew about the relationship and allowed her daughter to smoke marijuana with the man, identified as 20-year-old Lucky Crowder, deputies say. A third woman, who also knew of the relationship, was also arrested.
“A 13-year-old can’t consent with an adult,” said Aaron Williamson, spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies began investigating when Reina Valdez, 51, filed a missing persons report on the girl April 6. A few days later, Valdez called back and said the girl had returned home.
By that time, deputies had discovered the girl may have been in a sexual relationship with Crowder, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Then, on Sunday, deputies were called to Valdez’s house again because the girl’s sister confronted her about the relationship and the fight turned violent.
Deputies found Crowder in an apartment above Valdez’s house. He told them he had had a sexual relationship with the girl for six to eight months and moved into the apartment above Valdez’s house to be closer to the girl, according to the complaint. He allegedly detailed four sexual encounters between the two.
Crowder told deputies he was worried the girl was pregnant because he hadn’t always used birth control.
He said the girl’s mother, Valdez, knew about the relationship. Valdez told Crowder he was good for the girl and said she wanted her daughter to be happy, according to Crowder’s statement to deputies.
The girl was never missing, deputies discovered. Valdez filed a false police report because the girl had dropped out of school in September and Valdez didn’t want to get in trouble, Crowder told deputies. Deputies discovered the girl was three years behind in school. She was released into the care of the Children, Youth and Families Department.
Crowder was charged with four counts of criminal sexual penetration. He listed the girl as his emergency contact when he was booked into jail, deputies said.
Valdez was charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Deborah Moreno, who was living with Crowder and allegedly knew about the relationship, and had smoked marijuana with the girl, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All three were booked into the county jail.