Local man charged with lewd proposals to minor

A search of open cases led to the arrest of a Comanche man on four felony counts, including lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16; lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16; and two counts of aiding a minor in a drug crime.

According to court records, Juan  Ines Granada, 48, solicited an underage girl for sex at Jackson Park in June. The allegation was discovered by Comanche Police Chief David Hornbeck, who was searching through open cases at the department when he came upon the file.

According to the affidavit, on Sept. 30 Hornbeck contacted the mother of the victim, who had reported the alleged crimes to police in June.

After coming to the police department to talk with Hornbeck, the mother left and picked up her daughter at school and brought her to the police station.  The daughter and her friend would later receive forensic interviews at the Safe Center.

The girl recalled the incident to Hornbeck. She only knew his first name, but was able to give a description, including the distinctive tattoos the man had.

Court records indicate the victim said the man, later identified as Granada, approached her and a friend and tried to solicit her. The victim told him her age, and Granada said it didn’t matter to him, but she refused. 

Granada allegedly got her phone number and was sending her sexually-charged text messages later in the day, including photos of his private parts. 

According to the witness statement, on another occasion, Granada allegedly gave the victim and witness alcohol and marijuana and he also allegedly touched the victim inappropriately.

Hornbeck received information about the general area Granada was living in Comanche. He drove around the area until he spotted a man walking out of a residence. He stopped and asked the man his name. He identified himself as Juan Granada. Hornbeck asked Granada to lift up his shirt and the tattoos matched the description given by the victim. 

Hornbeck took pictures of Granada and took them to the victim’s and the witness’s residences, where both would identify Granada as the man who had solicited the victim back in June.

Granada came to the police department for questioning on Oct. 8. After being Mirandized, he allegedly admitted to prior felony convictions in Texas and Tennessee, but denied the current allegations.

Hornbeck read text messages from the victim’s phone allegedly sent by Granada, but Granada said the texts were not sent by him.

The interview ended when Granada asked for an attorney. 

Granada was arrested and taken to the Stephens County jail. Hornbeck returned to Comanche, where a person living at Granada’s residence gave police his phone.

According to court records, Granada is to make his initial appearance before a judge on Dec. 3. There was no bond.