A 24-year-old Kyle resident, Franklin Jovel Tabora-Dias, has been booked on allegations of sexual assault and child trafficking, following a meticulous yearlong probe by the Hays County Sheriff's Office, CBS Austin reports. The charges include a second-degree felony for sexual assault and two counts of trafficking of a child, a first-degree felony; the suspect is currently detained at the Hays County Jail with his bond fixed at $275,000.
Tabora-Dias, investigators claim, repeatedly masked his true age, endeavouring to appear as youthful as 19 to snare his victims and to believably interact with business connections as well as with law enforcement, even during unrelated incidents, according to information from FOX 7 Austin. The accused is said to have drawn in high school-aged girls through social media enticements, arranging meetings in adjacent communities at times extending beyond Hays County, and then driving them to his Kyle home to commit the alleged sexual assaults; noteworthy is the fact, some of the victims communicated solely in Spanish.
Adding to the complexity of the case, Tabora-Dias assumed the identity "Frank" and alternately spelled his surname "Diaz," both elements in a deceptive facade, and he is also embroiled in several ongoing sexual offense inquiries, hinting at the prospect of additional charges surfacing. His distinguishable neck and forearm tattoos were shared by the police to aid in his identification.
Vehicular clues have surfaced as well. Tabora-Dias was known to drive a silver 2009 Honda Accord with distinct blue striping, and a 2010 silver Honda Civic identifiable by damage to its right front, FOX 7 Austin explains; on Instagram, the alias @atx_frank444 was employed by the suspect, which the law enforcement has since publicized. The Hays County Sheriff's Office is actively seeking any individuals who have had contact with Tabora-Dias or who possess information that may contribute to the ongoing investigations, urging the public to step forward in the light of justice to help piece together the fragments of these heinous narratives.
The office welcomes tip-offs, and anyone wishing to report anonymously can reach out to Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-324-8477 from any location within the U.S., or by submitting information online; such civic participation could prove crucial in aiding the capture and subsequent penalization of individuals who prey upon the youth, exploiting their naivety and trust in the shadows of our interconnected world.
