A man long sought by Phoenix authorities and known in Maryvale as the “sobador” is back in the Valley to face a long list of sex crime charges. Alejandro Castellanos Tovar, in his 80s, was extradited from Leesburg, Virginia, and is being held on $500,000 bond. A Maricopa County indictment unsealed when he arrived lists 11 felony counts and names nine alleged victims, with incidents alleged to have occurred between 2014 and 2019.
Indictment and extradition
New court records show Tovar was brought back to Arizona on Thursday night, according to ABC15. The indictment, unsealed upon his return, includes counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse tied to his work as a “sobador,” or traditional healer, and covers alleged conduct from 2014 through 2019. ABC15 reports he was scheduled for his first Arizona court appearance on Friday and remains jailed under a $500,000 arrest warrant.
How the case surfaced
Public attention began to zero in on the accusations in 2019 and continued into 2020, as community advocates and local coverage refused to let the case fade. A Silent Witness flyer posted in 2020 named Alejandro Castellanos Tovar, described him as being in his 80s, and offered a reward for information, according to Silent Witness. That flyer, along with tips that followed, helped keep pressure on investigators while authorities worked behind the scenes to track him down.
Where investigators say he went
ABC15 reports that Tovar sold his Maryvale home in 2020, and relatives told reporters he had moved overseas, a lead detectives pursued as they tried to find him. Law enforcement sources and court paperwork later showed he was actually located in Leesburg, Virginia, where he was arrested on a felony warrant and then transferred back to Maricopa County. The indictment that now awaits him in Phoenix names nine alleged victims and 11 felony counts that prosecutors will press in court.
What happens next
Tovar is expected to be arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court, where he will formally hear the charges against him. The counts in the indictment are allegations that prosecutors must prove at trial. Some alleged victims who spoke with investigators and reporters in prior years expressed frustration over how long the case seemed stalled, while community groups kept encouraging anyone with information to come forward. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will determine the next steps as court dates are set and evidence is reviewed, bringing a case that lingered for years closer to a full airing in a courtroom.
