Federal authorities say a Sacramento man who vanished to Mexico in 2022 is now back in a local jail, staring down nine felony counts that accuse him of committing lewd acts with a minor.
Edy Mendez-Penuelas was extradited to California on Friday and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, according to federal officials, who say he was tracked down overseas after a nearly two-year manhunt. They describe the arrest and return as the result of a coordinated international push to get him back to the United States to face prosecution.
EXTRADITED: Edy Mendez-Penuelas is back in California to face 9 counts of lewd acts with a minor. He fled to Mexico in 2022, but a joint effort by FBI Sacramento, our Mexico Legal Attaché, Mexican Federales, INTERPOL, @StateDeptDSS, @CBP, and @SacSheriff brought him to justice. https://x.com/i/status/2070629498014363691
— FBI Sacramento (@FBISacramento) June 26, 2026
According to FBI Sacramento, Mendez-Penuelas fled to Mexico in 2022 and is now facing nine felony counts of lewd acts with a minor. The bureau credited a joint effort that involved its Mexico Legal Attaché, Mexican federales and INTERPOL, as well as the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. The FBI said he was booked into the county jail once he arrived back in Sacramento.
Per the California Legislature, California Penal Code §288 makes lewd or lascivious acts on a child a felony that can bring state prison time and other penalties. Sentencing depends on factors such as the age of the victim, whether force was used and any additional allegations prosecutors decide to pursue.
How the arrest unfolded
FBI Sacramento said the extradition followed a cross-border investigation that pulled in Mexican federales, INTERPOL, the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. Federal agents did not release information about where in Mexico authorities ultimately took Mendez-Penuelas into custody.
Booking and next steps
Once returned to California, Mendez-Penuelas was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, which is housed at the Lorenzo Patiño Hall of Justice at 651 I Street, according to the Sacramento Superior Court's facility listing. Booking into the county jail starts the local criminal process, after which prosecutors will decide on the formal charging documents and set any bail or arraignment dates as the case proceeds.
Legal implications
Under California law, a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts on a child can lead to lengthy prison terms and other consequences, including sex offender registration. The statute specifies that such conduct involving a child under 14 is a felony that can be punished by a state prison sentence, a framework prosecutors regularly rely on in these types of cases.
