Police find man wanted on charges of sexually abusing two minors in Jasper County
A Ridgeland man has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing two minors in Jasper County after a months-long manhunt.
Ali Suarez, 43, of Ridgeland, was arrested May 2 on two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in February. Suarez was a friend of the family of one of the victims, police reports say.
Suarez would come to the first victim’s home while his parents were out and, according to the report, would provide the child with food and money before touching him inappropriately. The report says the two victims were friends, and that when the second child would visit the first, Suarez would also abuse him.
Police said they attempted to contact Suarez on five occasions, but he evaded them. On April 16, they heard from a relative of a victim that Suarez allegedly tried to abuse another boy at a party in Hardeeville. A relative of that child intervened, the police report said.
On April 30, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office enlisted the help of agents from the State Law Enforcement Division and ICE to find Suarez.
Suarez was arrested in Beaufort County and transported to the Jasper County Detention Center, Jasper sheriff’s deputy Jeff Crosby said. If convicted, Suarez could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
