Posted Saturday, July 19 – A 33-year-old Beeville man is in custody at the Bee County Jail with two $20,000 bonds after avoiding police for weeks.

Detective Victor Gonzales said Reymundo Castillo was arrested last Friday, July 11, on two indecency with a child charges when police spotted him as he drove by the home of a former girlfriend in the 800 block of North Berry Street.

Gonzales said officers started trying to find Castillo in October of last year after investigators with Child Protective Services contacted the Beeville Police Department concerning an outcry made by an 8-year-old girl.

Investigators learned that the victim and her mother had moved to another city and the girl told her mother about the abuse after they left Beeville.

CPS authorities said the girl claimed she had been the victim of some ongoing sexual contact and that Castillo was the perpetrator. The investigator said a medical examination also had shown that the victim had contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

Gonzales said he obtained a warrant for Castillo’s arrest in February but the suspect was “on the run.”

The detective said Castillo apparently returned to Beeville recently and at one point he even contacted Gonzales and asked him if there were any warrants out for his arrest.

Gonzales confirmed that he had the warrant for the indecency charges and he advised Castillo to turn himself in to authorities. But the suspect never appeared at police headquarters and he dropped back out of sight.

Officers then received a phone tip last Friday evening that Castillo was expected to stop at the address on North Berry Street that evening.

Police were at that address when they spotted Castillo driving by the house shortly before 7 p.m. in a black Dodge.

Gonzales said Castillo did not stop but Patrolman Chad Jakel caught up with the Dodge and pulled over the vehicle. Castillo refused to go with the officer at first but Gonzales said he changed his mind when he saw Jakel reaching for his chemical agent.

Castillo was placed under arrest and taken to the Bee County Jail where he remains in custody on charges of indecency with a child-exposure, and indecency with a child-touching.

Bond was set at $20,000 on each charge by Municipal Judge Joe Salinas after investigators showed evidence that the suspect could be a flight risk.

Gonzales said both offenses are second degree felonies, punishable by a prison term of from two to 20 years and a fine of as much as $10,000, if the defendant is convicted.