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California man arrested with 16-year-old girl

A 37-year-old California man was arrested Monday night at a Strip resort after traveling to Las Vegas with a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing by her mother about seven hours earlier.

According to police, Mauricio Maldonado picked the girl up from her school in Fontana, Calif., at noon Monday.

He and the girl were taken into custody in a casino arcade about 7 p.m. by the Criminal Apprehension Team, a violent crimes task force made up of detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Henderson Police Department and the FBI.

The pair were spotted by casino security after a flier describing the victim, the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle was sent to all hotel and motel properties in Las Vegas.

Police said Maldonado had known the girl for about two months. He was booked as a fugitive and awaits extradition to California.

Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350.

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