Man accused of touching 15-year-old girl inappropriately

Police arrested a Las Cruces man accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl.

Joshua Cornejo, 35, of the 5000 block of Jardite Drive, is charged with one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor.

Police said the alleged sexual abuse at Cornejo’s home in February. The accuser spent the night at Cornejo’s home and awoke when Cornejo touched her inappropriately, police said.

Detectives learned Cornejo acted inappropriately around the same girl on at least two prior occasions, police said.

The girl told police she told a relative who later confronted Cornejo about the alleged sexual abuse. Police said Cornejo allegedly apologized to the girl for the earlier incidents.

A warrant was issued in June for Cornejo’s arrest. He was taken into custody the evening of July 18, 2018 and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center, where he is initially being held without bond.