A truck driver was arrested earlier this month after authorities discovered a 15-year-old missing girl in the cab of his truck. 

50-year-old  David Romero Reyes was arrested on April 2nd at the Naval Station in Newport, Rhode Island. 

According to Fox 8 News, the girl came to the United States as an unaccompanied minor in February 2020 and was picked up from an immigration detention center in Houston by Reyes, who is a distant cousin of the girl and a long time friend of her father in El Salvador. The girl then lived in Houston with her mother and several other relatives for several weeks until she left for Virginia with Reyes.

Once in Virginia, the girl and Reyes apparently had a sexual relationship while the girl lived with one of Reyes’ relatives. When the relatives discovered the sexual nature of Reyes’ and the girl’s relationship, they contacted police. Reyes then allegedly took the girl out of state with him, and the girl was reported missing a short time later in July of 2020. 

The two rode OTR during the week and stayed at hotels or apartments rented by Reyes on the weekends. 

Reyes was arrested by the Naval Station Newport Police after they conducted a routine background check before allowing him on the base. During the background check, officers discovered he was wanted in Texas for felony assault on a child, so he was detained. 

Officers then searched his truck and discovered the 15-year-old girl in the sleeper of the rig. 

Reyes is alleged to have had sexual contact with the girl in multiple states. He is currently being charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity and is facing 10 years to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.