SAMANTHA VELASQUEZ - 16 yo (2010) - Abilene TX

Abilene police are continuing the search for a 16-year-old Abilene
teen who is with a man wanted for aggravated sexual assault and who has
also failed to register as a sex offender in Abilene.

Police are looking for Samantha Velasquez, 16, who they believe is
with Henry Benavidez, 38, a convicted sex offender. Police are calling
Velasquez a runaway.

"We believe Velasquez and Benavidez to be in a consensual
relationship; however, due to the victim’s age this is a violation of
the law," said Sgt. Lynn Beard of the Abilene Police Department. "We
are very concerned for the welfare of Samantha."

A warrant charging Benavidez with sexual assault of a child has been
issued, Beard said.



Benavidez is a registered sex offender with a previous conviction for
sexual assault of a child.

Velasquez is described as a Hispanic female with glasses and long
black or brown hair. Police believe the two are in Abilene.

Benavidez was last seen driving a white Cadillac with Texas license
plate BH5F907.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Velasquez or Benavidez
should call the Abilene Police Department at 325-673-8331 or 911.

Abilene police continue to search for 16-year-old Samantha Velasquez
who they believe is with 38-year-old convicted sex offender Henry
Benavidez.

And now police are getting a little help from “America’s Most
Wanted,” the Fox television program that tracks fugitives and missing
people. The show’s website lists Velasquez as a missing child, and
Benavidez as a fugitive.

The U.S. Marshal Service submitted the case to “America’s Most
Wanted,” said Sgt. Lynn Beard of the Crimes Against Persons Unit of the
APD.

Velasquez’s parents reported her missing at 4 a.m. April 27.

Police are also looking for Benavidez, who had a warrant charging him
with sexual assault of a child issued on May 5.

Police do not know where the two are, but have said they believe the
two are in a consensual relationship.

Beard said Benavidez contacted his father on May 10 to let him know
he was OK and reportedly told his father he had no knowledge of the
girl’s whereabouts.

“Any time somebody is gone this long, there is most certainly a worry
about her safety,” Beard said. “We don’t have any leads at this time.”

Police say that Velasquez met Benavidez when she started working for a
local janitorial service, where he worked.

Benavidez was convicted of sexual assault of a child, a five-year-old
female family member, in 1992. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison
and registered as a sex offender in Abilene, San Antonio, Snyder, El
Paso and Wichita Falls.

Benavidez was last seen driving a white Cadillac with Texas license
plate BH5F907.

Velasquez is described as a Hispanic female with glasses and long
black or brown hair.

“America’s Most Wanted” airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

[Contact] Request for Removal.


Hello,
my name is Samantha Velasquez from Abilene, TX and I am listed on your
site as a runaway. I have since returned home and I would like to
request for the removal of the article that refers to my case. I am
trying to put certain parts of my past behind me and its really
unpleasent when friends google my name and it leads them to this site.
Thank you.

Personally I say NO, we do not remove this. First off, I myself cannot find any "legitimate" posting of this girl being found. Next, actions come with consequences--be upfront with your friends before they find you posted all over the world wide web. We aren't the only ones with this story, it was posted everywhere and, was even on television. Sorry, but you can't un-ring a bell.

You have to acknowledge mistakes to correct them. The past is what it is, now go make a better future, and if they are really your friends, they will be supportive. If they are not your friends, then what does it matter.Go to school, grow up, and have a good life. Good Luck.

Samantha, please understand it wouldn't make any difference if we deleted this off here as it would still come up when someone googles your name unfortunately. Once something's on the internet it stays there forever. BTW, the tone of your message upsets me a bit. Do you have any idea how many people, strangers like us, worried about you and were concerned for you? We were trying to help you to be found for your own safety. You didn't bother to acknowledge that we'd taken this effort for you.
I hope you'll take the time to read all the cases here, and I'm glad your friends are coming here too as a lot could be learned to help keep you all safe and your children safe.

Perhaps samantha can send us a link to a story that reports her as being found?

oviedo45 wrote:Perhaps samantha can send us a link to a story that reports her as being found?

I can't find anything Ovie although I also can't find any updates about her still missing either so it's likely that this is legit.

J4C Rules and Policies

http://www.justice4caylee.org/t9842-removing-names-from-this-website

This girl is still being reported as missing on AMW website.

I have emailed AMW but I am no longer listed in NCMEC

samanthav160216 wrote:I have emailed AMW but I am no longer listed in NCMEC

---It is standard procedure for NCMEC to drop cases once the missing child turns 18.
That does not mean the case has been resolved. It just changes the nature from missing child to
missing adult.

TomTerrific0420 wrote:

samanthav160216 wrote:I have emailed AMW but I am no longer listed in NCMEC

---It is standard procedure for NCMEC to drop cases once the missing child turns 18.
That does not mean the case has been resolved. It just changes the nature from missing child to
missing adult.

Do you have any recommendations on proving my case was resolved. I know for a fact the FBI office in Monterrey had taken my name off of the registry when I was 17. If they hadn't I would not have been able to board a international flight with a valid passport.

samanthav160216 wrote:

TomTerrific0420 wrote:

samanthav160216 wrote:I have emailed AMW but I am no longer listed in NCMEC

---It is standard procedure for NCMEC to drop cases once the missing child turns 18.
That does not mean the case has been resolved. It just changes the nature from missing child to
missing adult.

Do you have any recommendations on proving my case was resolved. I know for a fact the FBI office in Monterrey had taken my name off of the registry when I was 17. If they hadn't I would not have been able to board a international flight with a valid passport.

Hi, we're working on it. Give us a day or two. At the moment we can't find anything about the perp either. Do you know if he was found and is in jail?