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Undocumented Immigrant Skips Out On Trial For Sex Assault On Child

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) -- Authorities in Boulder County are asking for the public's help in locating Francisco Barraza-Porras after he didn't show up for the start of his trial on charges of Sexual Assault on a Child last week.

A warrant for the 47-year-old's arrest was issued March 2 by the Boulder district court judge who expected to preside over the trial that day. The new warrant's bond is $100,000 -- a much larger amount than the $5,000 bond Barraza-Porras paid in January 2019 to get out of police custody.

The case has experienced motions and continuances in the time since his release. None of the activity shown in online court records suggests Barraza-Porras was absent from any of the proceedings. That is, until the day of his trial.

Those court records also show police investigators opened the case against Barraza-Porras in September of 2018. He was formally charged by Boulder County prosecutors with four felony counts involving an underage victim. Barraza-Porras pleaded not guilty to all four charges.

The listed dates of the offenses cover a 10-year span, meaning prosecutors believe the alleged sexual assaults began when the victim was no older than 5 years of age.

Francisco Barraza-Porras (Lafayette FTA Sex Assault, from Boulder DA)
Francisco Barraza-Porras (credit: 20th Judicial District Attorney's Office)

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, meanwhile, had launched a detainer request with Boulder County authorities in hopes of getting their hands on Barraza-Porras, known to ICE as an undocumented immigrant.

According to an ICE spokesperson, Boulder County never alerted the office of Barraza-Porras's presence while he was in jail or in court.

Barraza-Porras's last known residence was in Lafayette.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr. Barraza-Porras is asked to contact Investigator Kristin Weisbach at (303) 441-3811.

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