MULBERRY, Fla. — A man accused of sexually abusing a minor will face upgraded charges for his crimes because he was in the country illegally, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Alvaro Jimenez, a 32-year-old from Guatemala, is accused of keeping a young girl that was “in his care” as a “prisoner” and repeatedly abusing her.

Jimenez is facing several counts of child abuse, sexual battery and incest. 

Judd said Jimenez came to the U.S. from Guatemala illegally in 2019. He reportedly brought a then-12-year-old girl with him while her mother stayed in Guatemala. Judd said he never enrolled her in school and kept her isolated from the world. 

After years of reported abuse, that girl called 911 this week, which led to Jimenez’s arrest.

Judd said Jimenez will be the first person in Polk County to face elevated charges for his crimes based on his citizenship status due to a new state law that went into effect earlier this month. 

At minimum, his third-degree felonies have been upgraded to second-degree felonies. And because this is a case potentially dealing with child rape, if it becomes a capital offense, a conviction means Jimenez would face a mandatory death penalty.

Judd said, “The goal of this legislation is to hold criminals accountable. So if you’re here committing a crime, any crime, my advice to you is to go southbound and down and get out of here before you’re locked up for a very long time.” 

Jimenez is being held in the Polk County Jail on no bond.

The young victim is now in the care of the Department of Children and Families.

This investigation is ongoing, and more criminal charges are pending.