Boyfriend's Dad Arrested for Lewd Assault After 10 Years

LUBBOCK, TX — A sexual assault investigation dating back to July 25, 2014, has made significant progress with the help of Texas Ranger Jason Shea. According to court documents, the victim reported to the Lubbock Police Department that she was assaulted by an unknown man while parked at an apartment complex, waiting for a friend.

After the assault, she returned to her apartment and contacted the police, who subsequently transported her to Covenant Medical Center for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE) Kit collection. The SANE kit was turned in to the Texas DPS Crime Lab for analysis the same day.

Reports state that on July 31, 2014, the victim reiterated her story to police, revealing that after having consensual sex with a friend, another male entered her car and sexually assaulted her. During the conversation, the victim identified Johnny Sanchez as the friend and someone she had been living with. A few weeks later, the Lubbock Police Department collected a consensual DNA sample.

In early December of 2014, the Lubbock DPS Crime Lab reported an unknown male DNA profile found on swabs taken from the victim. This profile was entered into CODIS but yielded no match. The investigation remained open for almost a decade, January 2023, when Ranger Shea sought assistance from LPD Sgt. Brad McMahan.

On September 18, 2023, nine years later, a Familial DNA Search identified Johnny Joe Sanchez Sr., 48, as a potential suspect. In February 2024, Ranger Shea collected a DNA sample from Johnny Sanchez while he was in custody on unrelated charges. Documents state Sanchez confirmed his father was the individual under investigation.

A kinship comparison conducted by the University of North Texas concluded that the DNA sample was over 200,000 times more likely to belong to a biological parent, strengthening the case against Johnny Joe Sanchez Sr. It was determined that Johnny Joe Sanchez Sr. was likely the male who sexually assaulted the victim in her vehicle on July 25, 2014.

Based on the information provided in the court documents, Ranger Shea had probable cause to believe that on September 20, 2024, Johnny Joe Sanchez Sr. sexually assaulted the victim without her consent.

Sanchez was booked and charged with sexual assault, a second-degree felony, and he is currently being held on a $150,000 bond.