Foster parent facing child molestation charges

link Manuel Preciado

QCS Staff

A Tucumcari foster parent is facing five felony charges, accused of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old male, according to a state police press release.

State police arrested Manuel Preciado 64, of Tucumcari, on Monday. Preciado was a treatment foster parent employed by Turquoise Health and Wellness in Tucumcari.

Preciado has been charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual contact of a minor, abuse of a child, false imprisonment and enticement of a child, the press release said.

According to court documents:

• On Nov. 3, State Police received a criminal sexual contact case referral from Turquoise regarding a juvenile male with allegations of incidents that apparently occurred from August 2014 to October 2014.

• On Nov. 6, state police Officer Gerardo Hernandez met with 10th Judicial District Attorney Investigator Matt Montoya and interviewed the apparent victim at the Turquoise office in Tucumcari.

• The alleged victim, a male juvenile, told Hernandez and Montoya while he was in Preciado’s care, Preciado forced him to the ground and fondled him on several occasions. The alleged victim also told Hernandez that Preciado would strike him on the chest for no reason and grab him despite many request to stop. Hernandez said the alleged victim told him and others that he was afraid to tell his case worker anything was going on because Preciado had threatened to hurt him if he told anyone.

• The alleged victim told Hernandez that Preciado had several surveillance cameras inside and outside his residence.

• A search warrant was issued for Preciado’s residence, where investigators seized computers, CDs and VHS tapes and a camera containing pictures of a young male shirtless and asleep.

The Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) said that at the time of the Nov. 3 report, all children placed with Preciado were removed from his home and placed with other foster care providers, according to the state police press release.

Preciado was booked into the Quay County Detention Center, where he was awaiting arraignment Tuesday.