A man from Philadelphia was taken into custody for reportedly enticing a 13-year-old girl he met on TikTok to travel over 250 miles to his residence via an Uber he organized and paid for, where he proceeded to sexually assault her.
The arrest of 19-year-old Angel Lopez took place on March 27 at his home in Philadelphia after the young girl managed to flee, as reported by law enforcement authorities. It was revealed by the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office that Lopez engaged with the teenager on TikTok for a span of four days before convincing her to leave a note for her family declaring her departure.
Subsequently, he allegedly coordinated and covered the expenses of an Uber to ferry her all the way from her residence in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, to his dwelling situated on Ogontz Street in Philadelphia.
Detective Sergeant Justin Scalzo revealed that Lopez told the girl not to bring any electronic devices and sent a message stating, “I want you to leave no trace behind.”
Upon arriving at his apartment, the teen was instructed to turn off her phone, given drugs, and subsequently sexually assaulted. Afterward, Lopez reportedly told her to shower in an attempt to remove traces of his DNA.
The victim later told police that when she expressed her desire to leave, Lopez responded chillingly, “They won’t be able to find you anyway.”
Fearing for her life, the girl pulled out strands of her own hair and scattered them around the apartment as a way to leave evidence of her presence. Scalzo explained that this act was prompted by Lopez’s threats and the victim’s determination to ensure that investigators could find some trace of her if she disappeared.
The teen seized an opportunity to escape when she heard someone in the apartment hallway. She hoped that if Lopez tried to stop her, the person outside might notice and intervene. Authorities were able to locate and safely return her home after she fled.
Lopez now faces multiple charges, including kidnapping a minor, trafficking, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person under 16, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, and corruption of minors. He remains in custody as legal proceedings continue.
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[Feature Photo via WTAE/YouTube]
*Editor’s Note: The story has been updated to reflect the suspect was not an Uber driver.*
