A 57-year-old man in California is accused of kidnapping an 11-year-old girl who was out looking for her lost dog, allegedly coaxing the child into his van by posing as an animal control officer. Guillermo Cascante was taken into custody earlier this week and charged with kidnapping and lewd and lascivious acts on a child through force or fear, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the Highland Station at about 8:49 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19 responded to an emergency call regarding a kidnapping in the area of San Francisco Street and 14th Street in Highland, California, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles.

The caller told the emergency dispatcher that an 11-year-old female had been kidnapped by an adult male, but managed to escape and make it back home.

“Through investigation, deputies learned the male suspect, Guillermo Cascante, was driving an older white ambulance style van and approached the victim while she was looking for her missing dog near San Francisco Street and 14th Street,” deputies wrote in the release. “Cascante pretended to work for Animal Control and offered to help the victim find her dog.”

The sadistic ruse worked and the victim got into the vehicle and Cascante drove away, authorities said. That is when Cascante allegedly assaulted the victim at gunpoint.

“While in the vehicle, Cascante produced a handgun, drove the victim around the city and molested her,” the release states. “Shortly after, Cascante stopped near Cunningham Street and 9th street and let the victim out of the van. The victim ran home, and the suspect fled the location.”

Investigators canvassed the area and were able to locate a van that matched the description provided by the alleged victim. It was parked in the area of 18th street and Guthrie Street, just over a mile from where the alleged abduction took place.

On Wednesday, August 20, detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 2000 block of East 18th Street where Cascante was located. He was taken into custody and booked into the West Valley Detention Center where he is currently being held in detention without bond.

Investigators released photographs of Cascante and the van used in the alleged abduction because they believe that Cascante has victimized others.

Authorities are urging anyone with information relevant to the investigation into Cascante to contact the Highland Sheriff’s Station at (909) 425-9793.

Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at wetip.com.

The post Man posed as animal control worker to kidnap 11-year-old searching for her lost dog using his ‘ambulance style van’: Police first appeared on Law & Crime.