On Tuesday, July 15th, a Tarrant County jury found 44-year-old Santiago Padron Arteaga guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child in a case that began in 2000. He was sentenced to 65 years in prison.
In 2007, a relative of Arteaga reported to Arlington Police that he had sexually abused her multiple times when she was between the ages of 5 and 6. Police opened an investigation, but before the case could move forward, Arteaga fled to Mexico.
Arteaga remained out of the country for more than a decade, returning only when he believed the case had been dismissed.
In 2022, during a routine traffic stop in Tarrant County, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrested Arteaga after discovering the outstanding warrant.
At trial, the victim, now 31 years old, testified against Arteaga.
The case was prosecuted by Lisa Callaghan and Kole Read. DA Investigator Darran Gabbert and Victim Coordinator Elizabeth Garcia assisted with the case.
