A man accused of drugging and raping a teenage girl posted his $1 bond that was set by a judge this week, records show.
Luis Sanchez, 25, is no longer listed on the Harris County Jail website. He was charged with felony sexual assault of a child and arrested in May of this year. He had been in custody ever since.
The teen’s mother told reporters she is angry that the man her daughter says assaulted her had his bond lowered to just $1.
In late April 2022, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the then-24-year-old, according to court documents. Three months later, her mother took her to the hospital, where the teen confided in her and said, “Luis drugged me and raped me.”
The alleged victim told HPD detectives she went to Sanchez’s house with her siblings. She spent the night and claims he drugged her before she passed out and woke up in bed with him.
In Texas, prosecutors are required by law to obtain an indictment within 90 days of a person being in custody. If not, the individual must be given “a reasonable or personal recognizance bond,” meaning a bond they can afford.
Court paperwork shows Sanchez is indigent, so a judge gave him a $1 personal recognizance bond.
“It’s an egregious miscarriage of justice that will allow a child rapist to be released to an unsuspecting public,” the girl’s mother told reporters.
The mother requested her voice be altered in her interview with reporters so her family can’t be identified.
A spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said Sanchez will be under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
The teen’s mom said she doesn’t feel like this is enough.
“God forbid, if he were to get out of the ankle monitor, he would be gone in a flash,” she said.
Paperwork shows Sanchez was ultimately indicted just after the deadline. The HCDAO spokesperson said their office missed the deadline by two days.
“We feel blindsided, because we took comfort in the fact that he was initially granted a $75,000 bond, because we could sleep at night knowing he could not make that bond,” the teen’s mom said. “We were at peace knowing he would not be released. Now, my daughter is terrified he may try to come and find her. No amount of apologies will fix that.”
There is also an investigation into a separate attack involving Sanchez and the same girl in Fort Bend County.
He’s due back in court in November.
