Warren man charged after 12-year-old reports inappropriate touching

Matthew Velez

A Warren man was arrested early Thursday after a 12-year-old girl accused him of touching her inappropriately.

Matthew Velez, 37, of Nevada Ave. NW was taken into custody shortly after midnight. He is charged with gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, and also faces two earlier warrants from Warren Municipal Court for failure to appear on previous charges of obstructing official business and various traffic violations.

Police were called to a home by a woman claiming a man had attempted to assault her daughter.

According to a police report, officers arrived to find Velez standing by the back door of the residence. They noted he appeared "highly intoxicated."

The 12-year-old girl told officers that Velez had touched her arms, saying she was "so beautiful," and then slid his hand down her arm to her buttocks. She also stated that earlier in the day, he had rubbed her arms while commenting on her appearance.

The victim's father told police Velez is a childhood friend.

Velez was booked into the Trumbull County Jail. His arraignment was initially scheduled for Thursday in Warren Municipal Court, but was continued until Friday after Velez refused to leave his cell.