By Khalida Sarwari
Watsonville police on Monday arrested a man already facing charges for having sex with an underage girl on suspicion of raping a woman last year.
Lamar Lucero, 30, of Gilroy, was initially arrested on Sept. 28 following a two-month investigation that found he allegedly forced a 16-year-old Watsonville girl to have a sexual relationship with him, according to police.
He was released from Santa Cruz County jail the same day he was arrested on $100,000 bail.
Since then, another woman has come forward with allegations that Lucero became sexually aggressive and raped her last year when he was allegedly in a relationship with the 16-year-old girl.
The victim told police she ended the relationship afterward but that she didn’t have the courage to report the rape until she read about his arrest, police said.
Lucero was arraigned Monday on charges of rape, unlawful sexual intercourse, oral copulation, and penetration with a foreign object.
Following his arraignment, Lucero was arrested again, but he posted the $100,000 bail and was released.
Detectives believe there may be additional victims and ask anyone with information to call Sgt. Saul Gonzalez at (831) 768-3369 or the police tip line at (831) 728-3544.