El Paso sexual assault victim one step closer to justice

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A 28-year long battle boils down to only 48 hours for one El Paso victim of sexual assault awaiting justice. 

On Wednesday, ABC-7 sat down with Jeremiah, a victim of this crime in 1995. Arturo Blanco is accused of sexually assaulting him. 

Blanco was arrested in Colorado in Sept. 2023 after being on the run for decades. 

"Thirty years I have not given up, it's just something I could not let go," said Jeremiah.

ABC-7 first reported this story back in 2011, when police were searching for Blanco. 

It started at the corner of Fred Wilson and Dyer in northeast El Paso, where then 15-year-old Jeremiah said he was selling newspapers when Blanco approached him. 

Jeremiah said Blanco offered him a better business opportunity and led him to his home where he was sexually assaulted. 

Blanco was arrested, but was released on bail.

He showed up at a pre-trial hearing but later vanished. 

According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, if Blanco is not extradited after 30 days of his incarceration, he will be released.

"To me, it was like, I wish I could go back and protect that little boy. But now I'm a grown man and hopefully I can get him off the streets to protect future boys," Jeremiah told ABC-7. "So I don't want that to happen to anyone else. Whether anyone believes my story or not, I'm just here trying to get this man off the streets."