A Palma court issued an international arrest warrant for a suspect in a youth sexual abuse case involving a minor. The individual, who is a 15-year-old at the time of the events, had escaped from a supervised center run by IMAS and fled the area. The prosecutor requested a 14-year prison term, and authorities say the suspect did not appear in court when the hearing was scheduled. Based on case documents, the court granted the international warrant to pursue the individual across borders, particularly toward locations within the United States.
The accused, a Dominican citizen, stands accused of sexual harassment against a teenager in December 2020. Public prosecutors state that the victim left the reception center where she lived and eventually moved into an apartment in Palma, where the defendant, seven years older, resided. The minor, who was known to be underage and who had escaped custody, allegedly engaged in sexual relations with the defendant without showing signs of violence or intimidation. Prosecutors further allege that the defendant recorded these encounters on his mobile device, though there is no indication that the images were ever disseminated.
Subsequent days saw officials from the IMAS children’s center confirm the facts with internal reviews, and law enforcement initiated an inquiry. After a period of investigation, the suspect was detained by police authorities but later released. The Prosecutor’s Office filed criminal charges for offenses related to sexual abuse of minors, as well as related counts involving the discovery and possession of child pornography materials. If found guilty, the defendant could face a prison sentence totaling 14 years and a compensation payment of 3,000 euros to the minor.
The first division of the Palma State Court was prepared to hear the case today; however, proceedings were postponed when the accused failed to appear. Given the circumstances and upon the Prosecutor’s Office request, judges proceeded to issue an international search and arrest warrant for the missing defendant. The youth did not attend the scheduled judicial appointment.