(UPDATE, 3:10 p.m.) The Great Falls Police Department announced on Tuesday that Joseph Eugene Garcia, 37, was arrested at his home in Roseville, California, on March 19 at the request of the GFPD based on a warrant charging him with several felonies.
The charges include two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual abuse of children.
The GFPD stated that Garcia allegedly "groomed" and abused his victim(s) over a long period of time. Garcia is now in custody in the Cascade County Detention Center.
According to the GFPD, Roseville detectives executed a search warrant and seized potential items of evidence from Garcia’s home.
GFPD Detective Katie Cunningham says she is concerned there may be other victims, based on the nature of his crimes.
Garcia lived and worked in Great Falls, but also traveled to Fort Belknap, Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula, among other smaller communities.
Cunningham said, "Our investigation does lead us to be a little bit concerned about contact, if he had any, with children within those cities, so we’re urging people if you have any information about Joseph Garcia or are concerned by contact he’s had with children, to contact me directly.”
Anyone with information about Garcia, or his contact with children, is asked to contact Detective Cunningham at 406-455-8561 or kcunningham@greatfallsmt.net.
(1st Report, 1:40 p.m.) Joseph Eugene Garcia is facing several felonies including two counts of sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, a Great Falls Police detective interviewed a victim who said Garcia first raped him when he was nine-years-old.
The victim told the detective that the abuse happened more than once and physically hurt him.
The documents state that the victim said Garcia would force him to touch him with his hands and mouth.
Garcia also allegedly took sexual pictures and videos. The victim stated he also watched pornography on Garcia’s laptop.
According to the documents, the incidents occurred in several locations in Montana, and in different hotels and houses.
The victim told the detective the abuse stopped when he was 14-years-old.
The State has moved that the following charges be filed against Garcia: two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual abuse of children.
