DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — A man accused of grooming a Texas teen girl online and locking her inside a shed in North Carolina will serve at least 20 years in prison, Davidson County officials said.
Jorge Ivan Santos Camacho, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape of a child under 15, first-degree kidnapping, and two counts of statutory sex offense with a child, according to the district attorney's office.
Camacho entered an Alford plea, which is a guilty plea, but the defendant does not admit to the crime.
Investigators said a missing 13-year-old girl who is from the Dallas, TX area was found in March 2023, more than 1,000 miles away, locked in a shed in Davidson County.
"They discovered that the juvenile had been communicating with an adult male through social media chat platforms. The content of the chat was consistent with grooming and enticement, and he enticed her to leave the home where he picked her up in the (Dallas) area," Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons said.
The Davidson County Sheriff's Office worked with the FBI to track down where the teen and suspect were. Investigators said they got a tip about where Comacho was and conducted a traffic stop.
Simmons said they found the girl locked in an outbuilding along Linwood Southmont Road.
The girl was rescued, taken to a local hospital for treatment, and taken back home in Dallas with her family.
Camacho faced several charges, including rape and indecent liberties with a child. The district attorney's office dismissed his remaining charges.
Camacho's initial charges:
- Restraint of a child
- Child abduction
- Human trafficking
- Two counts of statutory rape of a child under 15
- Two counts of statutory sexual offense of a child under 15
- Indecent liberties with a child
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Subscribe to our daily newsletter Let’s Get 2 It!
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.