PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A convicted child sex abuser accused of abusing children with the help of his brother and ex-sister-in-law is facing new charges after detectives said they found more victims.
Benito Juarez-Hernandez was indicted in May on charges of sexually abusing at least 5 children in Beaverton and Aloha. His 33-year-old brother Cupertino Juarez-Hernandez and 36-year-old Diana Rodriguez, who is Cupertino’s ex-wife, were also indicted for allegedly abusing the same children.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the abuse started about 15 years ago and continued until 2019 — when it was first reported to law enforcement.
Benito, 39, was already serving time at the Oregon State Penitentiary for sexually assaulting other children not tied to the current investigation.
A grand jury in Washington County indicted Benito on Sept. 19 on 4 counts of 1st-degree sexual abuse and 2 counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct. The charges relate to 2 additional victims, detectives said. His bail has been set at $4.25 million.
Detectives found these 2 additional victims as a direct result of the media coverage of Benito’s earlier indictment in April, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Benito’s 33-year-old brother Cupertino Juarez-Hernandez and 36-year-old Diana Rodriguez, who is Cupertino’s ex-wife, were also indicted earlier this year for allegedly abusing the 5 original victims.
Detectives think Benito has even more victims. Tips can be submitted by calling 503.846.2700.
