Man Convicted Of Sex Offenses Against Children Wanted

District Attorney Asks For Public's Help In Locating Convicted Offender

On January 29, 2015 at 8:56am, Sparks Police were called to investigate a report of Sex Assault of a Child Under 14 Years of Age.  The female victim disclosed that she had been assaulted several times by her relative, Selvin Zecena-Valdez over the course of 3 years.  Sparks Police detectives investigated the allegations, and on March 13, 2015 Sparks detectives arrested Zecena-Valdez on multiple counts of Sexual Assault with a Child Under the Age of 14 years old, Lewdness with a Child Under the Age of 14 years old and Attempted Sexual Assault of a Child.  Zecena-Valdez was booked into the Washoe County Detention Center on the aforementioned charges.  The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office subsequently filed criminal charges against Zecena-Valdez and the case proceeded to trial.

A bail amount of $560,000, bondable, was set and Zecena-Valdez was able to bail out of jail pending his trial.  The trial against Zecena-Valdez began on October 17, 2016.  On October 20, 2016, Zecena-Valdez elected to testify on his own behalf and court concluded that day during the State’s cross-examination of the defendant. Cross-examination was set to resume the following day when Zecena-Valdez failed to appear in court.  The trial resumed as mandated by Nevada law, and the jury found Zecena-Valdez guilty of four counts of Sexual Assault on a Child Under the Age of 14 years old, five counts of Lewdness with a Child Under the Age of 14 years old and one count of Attempted Sexual Assault on a Child.

Based on the failure to appear and the conviction, an arrest warrant has been issued for Zecena-Valdez with nation-wide extradition.  Investigators with the Washoe County District Attorney’s office, Sparks Police detectives and members of the U.S. Marshalls Office are attempting to locate Zecena-Valdez.

A jury found Zecena-Valdez guilty at trial, and we need your help locating him.  We believe Zecena-Valdez fled after court on the evening of Thursday October 20^th.  A vehicle associated to Zecena-Valdez was located and accounted for. Zecena-Valdez is described as a Hispanic Male Adult, 5’11”, 180, Black Hair, Brown Eyes. A photograph accompanies this release.

Zecena-Valdez is now a wanted Fugitive from Justice.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Selvin Zecena-Valdez is urged to call Sparks Police (775) 353-2231, Washoe County District Attorney’s Office Investigations Division (775) 321-4300  US Marshalls (775) 686-5780 or Secret Witness (775) 322-4900.