KERR COUNTY, Texas – A 40-year-old Ingram man was arrested and charged for sexual assault of a child and child pornography after a victim came forward Thursday, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office.
KCSO said investigators were tipped off about a sexual assault with a child on Monday. They were able to speak to the identified victim Thursday, who led them to Richard Hernandez, Jr., of Ingram.
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Hernandez confessed to investigators that he sexually assaulted the 16-year-old victim, KCSO said.
“The encounter between Mr. Hernandez and the minor victim began via an online dating site and continued through social media. Online dangers continue to be a growing threat to our youth,” said Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.
The sheriff’s office’s Digital Forensic Unit performed a forensic examination of Hernandez’s phone, where they found “a large amount of child pornography.”
KCSO said Hernandez was recently fired from the Hill Country Youth Ranch job.
The suspect was charged with one count of sexual assault of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. He was booked into the Kerr County Jail and is being held on a $150,000 bond.