Albuquerque, New Mexico – A 34-year-old man was arrested after a 13-year-old girl reported she had been kidnapped in Sandoval County, prompting a multi-agency response.
According to the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau, the teen was reported missing by her family on Feb. 14. In the early hours of Feb. 15, Albuquerque Police responded to a gas station where the juvenile reported she had been abducted.
Authorities said the girl identified the suspect’s vehicle when officers arrived, leading police to initiate a pursuit and apprehend the driver.
State police reported the victim was walking home in Rio Rancho when the suspect allegedly approached her, claiming to be an Uber driver sent by her father. The teen told officers she did not enter the vehicle willingly and was allegedly taken to several unknown locations, where she was assaulted.
According to investigators, the suspect — identified as Ruben Dario Gonzalez — told agents he is employed as a DoorDash driver and alleged the encounter was consensual. Police said he also claimed he believed the victim was 21 years old.
Gonzalez was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center and charged with kidnapping in the first degree, criminal sexual penetration in the second degree (child 13–18), and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The case may raise safety concerns for families and teen pedestrians in the Rio Rancho and Albuquerque area.
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