Two Slidell men booked after having sex with 12 and 14-year-old girls

The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men after they admitted to having sex with a 12-year-old and a 14-year old girl two weeks ago.

According to Capt. George Bonnett, Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Arturo Govea, 19, 827 Ashville St., Slidell has been charged with aggravated rape, and Elias Hernandez, 25, same address has been charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Deputies found out about the two men Oct. 10, when the father of three girls from the Pearl River area called the Sheriff’s Office to report that they were missing.

Investigators discovered that a man, who was a friend of one of the sisters had taken all three girls over to his home on Ashville, where he lived with “numerous” other men including Govea and Hernandez, Bonnett said.

Detectives started questioning the men, and Govea admitted that he had had sex with the 12-year-old girl sometime between Oct. 10 and 11. After more questioning, detectives discovered that Hernandez had had sex with the 14-year-old girl during the same span of time. Bonnett said that the third sister was not involved in any sexual activity.

Both men were arrested. Both Govea and Hernandez are in the St. Tammany Jail. Govea is being held without bond, and Hernandez is held under a $50,000 bond.

Bonnett explained that Govea was charged with aggravated rape because the girl was under the age of 13, which makes it a capital offense, and if found guilty, Govea could face the death penalty.

Bonnett said that Detective Rabelais of the Slidell Police Department was also involved in the investigation.