Man begins trial for raping teen, groping other

A 31-year-old Redwood City man began trial this week on accusations he raped a high school girl looking to get into modeling and groped one of two juvenile sisters invited to his home.

Gabriel Jason Cavazos, 31, is accused of committing the crimes in September 2009 but is only now facing a jury in large part because he fled to Mexico for eight months after learning Redwood City police were investigating him.

After being apprehended crossing the Mexican border back into the United States, Cavazos was charged with forcible rape, committing a lewd act on a minor ages 14 or 15 while being at least 10 years older, dissuading a witness, false imprisonment and sexual battery.

Cavazos, then 29, exchanged contact information with two high school girls at the Metro PCS store in Sequoia Station and later asked one to send him nude photographs after she indicated an interest in modeling, prosecutors said. Over the next few days, he allegedly picked the girls up separately from school and took one to his home where he got her to remove most of her clothing under the pretense of taking modeling shots. Prosecutors charge Cavazos drove her to school with his hand on her leg and refused to let her out of the car unless she kissed him. She allegedly did kiss him and reported him saying he "wanted to make babies with her when she turned 18 on Christmas Eve,” according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

At a party where the two encountered each other, prosecutors say Cavazos followed the girl into the bathroom and forcibly raped her. The girl contacted police three weeks later and made a pretext phone call in which Cavazos reportedly admitted having sex with her but implied it was consensual.

Cavazos is also accused of inviting two minor sisters he met on the street to his home and asking if they were gong to have sex. One girl left but the other stayed and authorities say Cavazos grabbed and groped her when she also tried leaving. He eventually let go and the sisters left. Cavazos fled to Mexico during the investigation.

Attorneys are currently working through pretrial motions and jury selection this week. The trial is estimated to last eight days.

Cavazos, who has two prior felony prison convictions, is in custody in lieu of $750,000 bail.