ALVIN, Texas — The Brazoria County Sheriff's Office has arrested a suspect in the kidnapping and sexual assault of an Alvin ISD student.
John Orozco, 36, is charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault. He is a registered sex offender from Rosharon, according to BCSO.
Orozco was arrested around 10 p.m. Thursday night thanks to a citizen's tip that came in not long after BCSO and KHOU 11 shared the suspect's sketch. Investigators matched the name from the tipster with a past mug shot of Orozco and it strongly resembled the sketch.
"It wouldn't have been possible without the public, Alvin Police Department, Alvin ISD PD and, especially, forensic artist Kristin Hill with the Houston Police Department who put together the composite sketch," BCSO Lt. Jeff Mink said at a news conference.
'She's a strong young lady'
Mink also credited the victim who was able to provide a good description with details about her attacker, despite the trauma she experienced.
"She's a strong young lady and without her keeping a level head through it, and getting those details, we wouldn't have gotten as far as we did," he said.
WATCH: BCSO news conference
BCSO investigators say Orozco posed as a truancy officer and lured the girl into his car on Tuesday, October 19. Then he drove to the Chocolate Bayou boat ramp off Highway 35 and sexually assaulted her. The victim was dropped off hours later and law enforcement was called.
Orozco was quiet and didn't say anything when he was arrested and taken to the Brazoria County Jail, according to Mink. BCSO said he was wanted on a felony warrant from Beeville for aggravated sexual assault with a deadly weapon family violence.
He's being held on bonds totaling $550,000.
Relief in Alvin
News of the arrest will be a big relief for folks in Alvin where word spread quickly about the horrible crime.
"That’s absolutely terrible,” neighbor Christian Greengrass said.
Greengrass lives along the street where investigators said the girl was abducted just outside Alvin High School.
Investigators didn't say if the victim went to school there. They don't want to release too many specifics about her age in order to protect her identity.
“I mean it’s really shocking because all the neighbors are in tune with each other, we will talk about these things and it’s really terrible to hear about that,” Greengrass said.
"My roommate sent me the link this morning and it freaked me out," parent Tamara Halata said. "Just because there’s a lot of construction going on around here, a lot of different people and so I am concerned now.”
"Any man who goes after a child," Halata said, "I will swift quick somebody real quick."
Alvin ISD issued this statement:
In Alvin ISD, safety and security of each child is of utmost importance to us. We are aware of the incident that was reported to the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office this week. In response, Alvin ISD has increased police presence in the area and will continue to assist the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office as needed.
Parents should also remind children not to get into vehicles with strangers even if they claim to be authority figures.
Call the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, Alvin Police Department or any law enforcement agency if you have information about the case.