A Menlo College student is behind bars after San Mateo County prosecutors say he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl inside his dorm room on May 5. The 19-year-old, identified in court records as Andres Manuel Aguilar, was arrested last Tuesday and arraigned three days later. He did not enter a plea and is scheduled to return to San Mateo County Superior Court on Thursday. Menlo College officials and local law enforcement say the investigation is still very much active.
Prosecutors have filed two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, one for alleged forcible intercourse and another for alleged oral copulation, along with a charge of furnishing marijuana to a child under 14, according to The Almanac. Authorities told the outlet the girl first met Aguilar at a Menlo Park bus stop, then later snuck out of her home to meet him at a Redwood City grocery store, before the two returned to his dorm on the Menlo College campus.
Investigators say the pair bought beer and rum at the Safeway in the Sequoia Station shopping center in Redwood City, and that Aguilar allegedly gave the girl both alcohol and marijuana before the assault. Prosecutors also allege Aguilar ordered Plan B emergency contraception to be delivered to campus through DoorDash after the incident, and that campus security video shows the two entering his dorm room, as reported by KRON4.
“We take all allegations of criminal conduct and misconduct involving our community with the utmost seriousness,” a Menlo College spokesperson told The Almanac. The private college declined to say whether students and staff had been formally notified about the reported incident while the investigation continues.
Charges and court timeline
Aguilar was taken into custody on May 12 and is being held without bail, according to prosecutors. He did not enter a plea at last Friday's arraignment and is expected to do so at his next court appearance on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The charges he faces carry a minimum prison term of 15 years if he is convicted, KRON4 reported. Prosecutors allege Aguilar told Atherton police officers that he believed the girl was 17, while also acknowledging that she was underage, officials said.
Campus safety and community questions
The case has sparked anxious conversations among parents, students, and nearby residents, who are asking how a middle-school-aged child ended up inside a college dorm late at night. According to police, a teacher at the girl’s school contacted Child Protective Services and law enforcement on May 6, which triggered the investigation that ultimately led to Aguilar’s identification and arrest.
Presumption of innocence
Aguilar is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in a court of law. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, while Atherton police continue to work with Menlo College campus security as the investigation moves forward.
