A Menlo College student in California accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in his campus dorm room is being held without bail while authorities continue investigating whether there may be additional victims, prosecutors said.
Andres Manuel Aguilar, 19, faces two counts of forcible sexual assault — rape and oral copulation — along with one felony count of providing marijuana to a minor. The charges stem from an alleged encounter on May 5.
A preliminary hearing in the case has been pushed back to Aug. 27, giving investigators more time to review information that prosecutors say could result in additional charges.
Andres Manuel Aguilar, 19, a Menlo College student, is charged with two counts of forcible sexual assault and one count of providing marijuana to a juvenile. (Credit: FOX 2 San Francisco)
“Nothing new to report on the potential second victim in the Aguilar case,” San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told INC News. “The case was continued to Aug. 27, and that gives the police well over a month to complete the investigation and for my prosecutor to make the decision on whether the evidence is sufficient to add additional charges for the second victim.”
Court notes provided to INC News by San Francisco affiliate FOX 2 state that prosecutors allege the girl left her home without permission after previously meeting Aguilar at a bus stop in Menlo Park. Prosecutors said that while the girl told Aguilar she was 17, he acknowledged she was still a minor.
The two later went to a Safeway, where prosecutors say they obtained beer and rum before returning to Aguilar’s dorm room. Investigators allege they drank alcohol and vaped marijuana there before Aguilar sexually assaulted the girl after she repeatedly told him “no.”
The entrance to Menlo College in Atherton, California, where prosecutors allege the incident occurred inside a campus dormitory. (Google Maps)
Aguilar then allegedly became concerned about a possible pregnancy and used DoorDash to have a Plan B emergency contraceptive delivered to his dorm room before giving it to the girl.
Investigators also say dormitory surveillance video captured Aguilar and the girl entering his room before later showing the girl leaving.
In a statement, Menlo College said it takes allegations of criminal conduct seriously and is cooperating with law enforcement, but declined to comment on Aguilar specifically.
A gavel sits on a judge’s bench as people leave court. (iStock)
“Due to federal and state privacy laws and College policy, Menlo College cannot comment on matters involving identifiable individuals,” the statement read, adding that further questions should be directed to the Atherton Police Department.
Wagstaffe said investigators are encouraging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Aguilar to contact law enforcement.
“It is our hope that if there are additional victims out there, we want them to come forward so we can provide justice for any such crimes,” Wagstaffe said.
Whether additional charges are filed will depend on the evidence gathered during the ongoing investigation, the district attorney added.
INC News has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding Aguilar’s immigration status, as well as The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, which is representing Aguilar, for comment.
