Las Cruces man accused of sexually molesting young girl
A Las Cruces man arrested last month on child abuse charges for allegedly forcing two children to live in a roach-infested, feces-laden home now faces multiple felony counts of sexually molesting a young girl, according to Las Cruces police.
David C. Pearson, 31, of the 1800 block of Rentfrow Avenue, was charged Wednesday with seven first-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13 years of age and three second-degree felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor.
According to Las Cruces police, Pearson allegedly forced a young girl to undress and engage in sexual activities various times between January 2011 and January 2013.
Neighbors in the area were shocked by the allegations.
“Anytime I hear something like that, it’s surprising. I wouldn’t expect that from anybody but now that I think about it with this guy, he’s a lowlife I thought from the beginning,” a neighbor who did not want to be identified said.
On Feb. 4, 2013, Pearson was charged with two counts of child abuse after detectives found that two children were living in a roach-infested home. The home also had dog feces smeared into the carpet and signs of insects nesting inside the residence. Pearson posted bond and was released from jail Wednesday morning.
Neighbors told ABC-7 they noticed something was not right in Pearson’s home.
“The little girls were out there playing and everything. The oldest little girl, she was dirty. Her hair was greasy when I saw her. The little girl, it was cold that day, and she didn’t have any shoes on running around,” another neighbor who did not want to be identified said.
Two toy skulls and a rubber chicken decorate the front door of Pearson’s home.
“He was threatening, trying to control people. That’s what I notice with people like that who abuse children. They have to test adults because they want to try to make them fear them the way the kids fear them so they don’t say anything,” a neighbor said.
Shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday evening Pearson was arrested on a warrant issued on March 6 and executed by the Las Cruces Police Department’s SWAT team at the Western Inn at 2155 W. Picacho Ave. Pearson is now being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with a cash-only bond set at $150,000.
