WASHINGTON COUNTY, MO – October 6, 2026 (STL.News) Oscar Baltodano Lopez (Oscar Lopez) faces six criminal charges in Washington County after investigators allege he grabbed a juvenile girl while she was walking, covered her mouth, forced her into a house, and raped her.
Lopez is charged with first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sodomy, rape, first-degree kidnapping, resisting arrest, and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records cited by First Alert 4.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the alleged crime and subsequent investigation occurred during the early morning hours Friday.
Lopez has not been convicted of any of the charges. The allegations in the probable-cause statements reflect investigators’ account of what allegedly occurred and have not been proven at trial.
He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Oscar Lopez accused of grabbing juvenile
According to probable-cause statements cited in published reports, the juvenile was walking when investigators allege Lopez approached and grabbed her.
Authorities allege Lopez placed his hand over the girl’s mouth and pulled her into a house.
Investigators further allege that Lopez raped the juvenile after taking her inside the residence.
The probable-cause statements also allege that Lopez’s roommate, Benjamin Santez Lopez, sexually abused the juvenile.
Benjamin Lopez faces a separate prosecution and is charged with first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree sodomy. His case will be addressed separately by STL.News.
Authorities have not publicly identified the juvenile, and STL.News is withholding information that could identify her because she is an alleged minor victim of sexual assault.
The allegations against Oscar Lopez form the basis for some of the most serious charges filed against him, including rape and first-degree kidnapping.
Oscar Lopez – Search warrant executed at residence
The investigation subsequently led Washington County deputies to obtain a search warrant.
According to the probable-cause statements, deputies encountered additional resistance when they attempted to execute the warrant.
Investigators allege Oscar Lopez locked himself inside a bathroom.
Deputies ultimately broke down the bathroom door, according to the statements.
Authorities said deputies pointed their weapons at Lopez before he complied with their commands.
That encounter resulted in a resisting-arrest charge being filed in addition to the charges stemming from the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault.
The precise circumstances surrounding the resisting-arrest allegation ultimately will be subject to the same court process as the other charges.
A probable-cause statement reflects law enforcement’s account supporting criminal charges. It does not constitute a judicial finding that the alleged conduct occurred.
Lopez invokes right to attorney
After investigators took Lopez into custody, they sought to question him.
According to the probable-cause statements, Lopez declined to speak with investigators without an attorney present.
His decision to request an attorney is a constitutional right and should not be interpreted as evidence that he committed any alleged offense.
Authorities also sought physical evidence from Lopez.
Investigators said he declined to voluntarily provide a DNA swab or turn over his boxer shorts.
A defendant’s decision not to voluntarily provide evidence does not itself establish guilt. Law enforcement may seek evidence through appropriate legal procedures, and disputes involving the collection, testing, and admissibility of evidence can later become issues for the court.
Investigators report finding suspected meth
Authorities also reported finding suspected methamphetamine in Lopez’s room while processing the residence.
That discovery resulted in the possession-of-a-controlled-substance charge included among the six charges reported against him.
Investigators additionally reported finding a strand of hair in Lopez’s underwear while processing evidence, according to the probable-cause statements.
Published reports available Tuesday did not establish the hair’s forensic significance or identify the results of any laboratory analysis.
The existence of a strand of hair does not by itself prove a sexual assault occurred or identify who committed one.
Any attempt by prosecutors to use physical evidence in the criminal case would be subject to the normal evidentiary process, including forensic analysis and potential defense challenges.
Six charges filed against Oscar Lopez
Court records cited by First Alert 4 list six charges against Lopez:
- First-degree sexual abuse
- First-degree sodomy
- Rape
- First-degree kidnapping
- Resisting arrest
- Possession of a controlled substance
Several of those charges stem directly from investigators’ account of what allegedly happened to the juvenile.
The kidnapping allegation is based on the accusation that Lopez grabbed the girl, covered her mouth, and forcibly pulled her into the residence.
The rape and other sexual-offense charges concern what investigators allege occurred after she was taken inside.
The resisting-arrest charge stems from the encounter with deputies during execution of the search warrant, while the controlled-substance charge follows investigators’ reported discovery of suspected methamphetamine.
Each charge remains an allegation.
Prosecutors must establish the elements of any offense they pursue, and Lopez will have the opportunity, through his attorney, to challenge the government’s evidence and allegations.
Another man separately charged
Benjamin Santez Lopez, identified in the probable-cause statements as Oscar Lopez’s roommate, was also arrested and charged.
Investigators allege Benjamin Lopez sexually abused the juvenile after she was brought into the residence.
Benjamin Lopez denied having sexual contact with the girl, according to the probable-cause statements.
He faces first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree sodomy charges.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office also said it took a third person into custody during the investigation but did not charge them with a crime in connection with the case.
The detention of that third person should not be interpreted as evidence of involvement in the alleged assault.
Federal immigration detainer reported
The probable-cause statements cited by First Alert 4 state that Oscar Lopez and Benjamin Lopez are not U.S. residents and that federal immigration detainers were issued for both men.
The federal immigration matter is legally separate from the Missouri criminal prosecution.
An immigration detainer does not establish that Lopez committed the crimes alleged against him in Washington County, nor should immigration status be treated as evidence supporting the rape, kidnapping, or other criminal allegations.
Those charges must be resolved through the criminal justice system based upon the evidence applicable to each alleged offense.
Oscar Lopez – Case moves into Washington County court
First Alert 4 reported that the defendants were scheduled for an initial hearing Tuesday in Washington County Circuit Court.
The Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office represents the people of Washington County in state criminal prosecutions. According to the county government, prosecutors review reports referred by law-enforcement agencies, decide whether to file charges, and prosecute cases through resolution.
The prosecution of Lopez remains in its early stages.
Additional proceedings may provide more information concerning the physical evidence, forensic testing and circumstances surrounding the search of the residence.
Lopez will also have the opportunity to be represented by counsel and contest the government’s case.
Oscar Lopez – Allegations have not been proven
The accusations against Lopez are serious, but the distinction between an allegation and a criminal conviction remains essential.
The account released publicly so far is largely based on probable-cause statements describing what investigators believe occurred.
Those statements support criminal charges. They do not represent a jury verdict or a judge’s final determination that the allegations are true.
Lopez’s decision not to answer investigators’ questions without an attorney cannot legally substitute for evidence of guilt.
Likewise, prosecutors must analyze any physical evidence recovered during the investigation and, if they seek to use it, connect it to the alleged crimes with admissible evidence.
The government carries the burden of proving the criminal charges.
Oscar Baltodano Lopez is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case remains pending in Washington County.
Editor’s note: Criminal charges are allegations. Oscar Baltodano Lopez has not been convicted of the offenses described in this report and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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