Haywood County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 20-year-old man from Sylva and charged him in connection with the alleged rape of a teenage girl.
The sheriff’s office says Nixon Noe Lagos Suarez was arrested December 19 and initially charged with felonious restraint. Investigators later filed an additional charge on January 6 — statutory rape of a child under 15.
According to the sheriff’s office, Lagos Suarez is accused of restraining a 13-year-old girl at her home in Waynesville and taking her to another location in his pickup truck, without the consent of the girl’s parents. He is also accused of having sexual intercourse with the victim that day, which led to the statutory rape charge.
Lagos Suarez has been held without bond since his arrest. The sheriff’s office also says he is being held on an ICE detainer that lists him as a citizen of Honduras.
In a statement, Sheriff Bill Wilke said he’s proud of the work detectives have done so far and that the office will continue working to protect vulnerable members of the community and hold offenders accountable.
The investigation remains ongoing. The sheriff’s office says no additional details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the case and the privacy of the victim.
