PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A FedEx driver was arrested after trying to sexually assault a child Friday in Aloha, deputies said.
Deputies responded to a home in the 4000 block of SW 160th Avenue at about 1 p.m. after getting a call from a mom who said her 9-year-old daughter had been playing outside their home when the incident happened.
The girl said the FedEx driver made a delivery at a neighbor’s house and then offered her candy. The driver reportedly then tried to sexually assault the girl but she was able to get away and tell her mom what had happened as well as provide a description of the driver.
Deputies searched the area for the suspect while detectives contacted FedEx for more information.
“Right away they started linking up the package that was delivered with the driver who dropped it off, giving us then his real-time location so deputies were able to go and find him. He wasn’t too far away,” said Detective Mark Povolny.
The suspected driver and truck were found in the 18300 block of SW Shaw Street.
Alejandro Negrete, 24, of Portland was arrested for first-degree attempted sexual abuse and first-degree attempted sodomy. He was booked into the Washington County Jail and his bail was set at $20,000.
“This was extremely close to him being able to carry out his plan and he took multiple steps to make that happen,” said Povolny.
Povolny said this is a good example of how parents should react in this situation.
“They had built a situation where their daughter was comfortable sharing this kind of information, coming right to the parent to share it right away, the parent believed the child, didn’t dismiss it or think this was something the child was making up or exaggerating and then the parent took action right away and called in immediately,” he said. “Even at a young age, we know from this example and unfortunately too many others that kids who are young still need to know what sort of those good touch, bad touch things are — what appropriate boundaries are for their bodies.”
Investigators said Negrete told them things that led them to believe he sexually assaulted at least one other person, though not while he was delivering for FedEx. His regular FedEx routes covered the Aloha and Tigard areas every day of the week and detectives worry he may have other victims.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 503.846.2700.
Deputies said Negrete was employed by a contractor who provides drivers for FedEx. KOIN 6 is working to learn the name of the contractor.