A San Antonio detention officer is behind bars after detectives say a months‑long investigation uncovered sexual abuse of a 13‑year‑old girl with disabilities. The suspect, identified in court records as 22‑year‑old Richard Matthew Rey Mendoza, is charged with continuous sexual abuse of a disabled child and possession of child pornography.
According to WOAI, the case began to crack open in September 2025 when an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip led investigators to explicit posts on X and to an account that appeared to show Mendoza with the victim. Detectives say they tracked the girl through a selfie in which she wore a medical wristband, then tied explicit videos to Mendoza by matching distinctive tattoos and photos that resembled his Texas driver’s license. Investigators also allege a posted photo of an urgent‑care report and a medical lab result helped confirm his identity.
WOAI described the evidence as “a digital trail that spanned social media posts, secret messages, and even a slip‑up involving a medical lab report.” The arrest report states that deleted messages included Mendoza allegedly asking about the girl’s mother’s whereabouts and referencing “using” her. The victim told detectives Mendoza picked her up in a black four‑door car, took her either to his apartment or to spots behind local businesses, and that the abuse happened at least four or five times between August and November 2025. The girl’s mother reportedly turned over the teen’s phone for a forensic search, and detectives say they are treating the case as a potential child‑trafficking investigation.
Charges and the law
Mendoza is charged with continuous sexual abuse of a disabled child under 14 and with possession of child pornography, according to the arrest report. Under Texas law, Penal Code §21.02 defines continuous sexual abuse as two or more acts of sexual abuse committed over a period of 30 days or more. Possession or promotion of child pornography is addressed under Section 43.26. A conviction for a first‑degree felony can carry a sentence of five to 99 years, or life in prison, under state sentencing rules in Section 12.32.
Digital evidence and local context
Investigators say the case underscores how social platforms, encrypted messages, and even stray medical documents can generate forensic leads. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline and other platform reports regularly feed tips to law enforcement that help locate victims and identify suspects, including in online child exploitation investigations (NCMEC).
Locally, news outlets have pointed to a recent string of San Antonio investigations involving alleged continuous sexual abuse, with police using those cases to publicly urge victims and witnesses to come forward in similar probes (KSAT; NCMEC).
Prosecutors will decide whether to seek formal indictments as detectives continue to comb through devices and messages. Mendoza remains under investigation and faces state felony charges, and authorities are asking anyone with information to contact local Crime Stoppers or the San Antonio Police Department.
