Las Cruces Police arrest 20-year-old for allegedly having sex with 13-year-old girl

Las Cruces Police have arrested a 20-year-old man they suspect of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

He has been charged with four felonies.

Taylor Ascarate, of the 100 block of Turquoise Avenue , is charged with one first-degree felony count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and three fourth-degree felony counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

Las Cruces Police said that Ascarate met the young girl, who was only 12 years old at the time, in July 2012 at Unidad Park. Police said that Ascarate and the girl engaged in sex once before she turned 13 and three times after she became a teenager.

Ascarate was aware of the girl’s age from the time they first met, police said.

Detectives believe the teenager ended their relationship in October but only recently told her parents after Taylor allegedly began threatening the young girl.

Ascarate was arrested Tuesday afternoon and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with a cash-only bond set at $50,000.