Homeless Sex Offender Led 8-Year-Old Girl From Playground

UPLAND (AP)   — Police have arrested a man they described as a homeless registered sex offender who allegedly led an 8-year-old girl from a playground.

The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported Sunday that officers in Upland arrested the man after he committed an unspecified "lewd act" with the girl on Saturday afternoon. According to police, 32-year-old Ronnie Vega led the girl away by the hand from other playing children before her family could run after them.

The girl was uninjured.

Police arrested Vega on suspicion of kidnapping and performing a lewd act with a child.

In a news release, the department identified him as a registered sex offender, though his name did not appear in a search of California's sex offender database. The department couldn't explain the discrepancy Sunday.

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