Greenville police arrested 50-year-old Pitt County resident Wilber Perez Palma on warrants alleging that he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a child in 2018, according to WITN. Perez Palma was being held in the Pitt County Jail without bond, with a court appearance scheduled for Friday, September 18, 2026.
According to WITN, Greenville police arrested Perez Palma on Wednesday. Warrants allege he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a child in May 2018, when the victim was nine years old, records show.
The charges include kidnapping and two counts of indecent liberties with a child, according to the warrants and WITN. One of the indecent-liberties allegations concerns a separate May 2019 offense involving the same child, the warrants say.
Held Without Bond Ahead of Friday Court Date
Perez Palma was booked into the Pitt County Jail without bond after his arrest, according to WITN. He was scheduled to appear in court Friday, September 18, 2026. No information was available about the outcome of that hearing.
How Child-Abuse Reports Are Responded To
According to Pitt County government, Child Protective Services responds to reports of abuse or neglect and works with families, caregivers and community partners to protect children's safety and well-being. The broader child-advocacy response is multidisciplinary: according to Children's Advocacy Centers of North Carolina, it can bring together advocacy-center professionals, law enforcement, social services, medical providers, mental-health clinicians and legal partners to coordinate responses to child-maltreatment cases.
Details beyond the arrest and warrant allegations remain limited. No public update on Perez Palma's custody status or any statement from an attorney, prosecutors, police or the alleged victim's family was identified.
How North Carolina Defines Kidnapping Charges
Under North Carolina General Statute 14-39, kidnapping involves unlawfully confining, restraining or removing a person without consent for purposes that can include facilitating a felony, causing serious bodily harm, terrorizing the victim or subjecting the victim to sexual servitude. The law distinguishes first-degree kidnapping, which can apply when a victim is not released in a safe place, is seriously injured or is sexually assaulted, from second-degree kidnapping, which can apply when the victim is released safely without serious injury or sexual assault.
The allegations in the warrants are not findings of guilt, and the charges against Perez Palma remain pending unless resolved by the court.
