HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston man has been convicted after holding a teen girl against her will and taking her on a three-day trip across the country, the United States Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez has pleaded guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in a sex act with a minor.
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U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said in June 2020, Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez took a 15-year-old girl on what was supposed to be a date. However, the event allegedly ended up being a three-day trip across the country against the victim’s will.
Investigators said the girl told Rivera-Hernandez to take her home but he refused and drove her out of the Houston area. During the drive, Rivera-Hernandez reportedly bought alcohol and forced the teen to drink it, threatening her and her family if she refused to obey him.
“He kept her in a state of intoxication so she could not recognize where she was. He also kept her cell phone, which prevented her from seeking help,” a news release from the DOJ said.
One evening during the trip, investigators said Rivera-Hernandez took the victim to a motel near Little Rock, Arkansas, where he raped her. Authorities said the girl tried to get help on two occasions after getting temporary access to her phone.
“She was eventually able to text her family members and told them he could kill her and to call the police,” the release said.
Authorities said they were quickly able to find Rivera-Hernandez and the victim in his car, which was parked at a truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee.
While in custody, investigators said Rivera-Hernandez arranged for the distribution of fabricated WhatsApp messages falsely claiming to be that of the victim. In the messages, he allegedly made it appear that the teen had recanted her claims of kidnapping and rape and hoped it would lead to the dismissal of the charges. He was unsuccessful when the investigation revealed the messages were from him, Hamdani said.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. will sentence Rivera-Hernandez on Nov. 20. At that time, Rivera-Hernandez faces up to life in federal prison.