Crime & Public Safety
Cape Coral suspect in 2022 chld s3xual battery investigation located in Mexico, held in Texas awaiting extradition to Lee County
Cape Coral police say a suspect wanted in a December 2022 chld s3xual battery investigation has been located in Mexico and taken into custody. According to the Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD), officers first responded in December 2022 to a report of an incident at an apartment and opened an investigation into allegations that a man exposed himself and committed s3xual battery against a juvenile.
CCPD identifies the suspect as Jesus Leon Leyva, 42. Investigators say Leyva fled the area after the December 2022 report, prompting a multi-agency manhunt led by the CCPD Special Victims Unit. The U.S. Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Fort Myers office developed information that Leyva was in Mexico, and coordinated with Mexican authorities to locate and apprehend him.
Following his arrest in Mexico, federal authorities transferred custody to U.S. officials; Leyva is currently being held in Harris County, Texas, and is awaiting extradition to Lee County. CCPD states he faces a charge of s3xual battery on a chld. The department describes the events and allegations as part of an active criminal investigation.
Agency actions reported so far include the local Special Victims Unit investigation, multi-agency fugitive tracking by the U.S. Marshals, international coordination with Mexican authorities, and detention pending extradition. The investigation remains ongoing, and further developments will be released by the documenting agencies.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.