According to a news release from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, rape and child molesting charges have been filed against a 43-year-old man following a Sept. 23 report of a missing juvenile.  

According to a Oct. 3 news release, the Sheriff’s Department received a report of a missing 12-year-old on Sept. 23. It was reported that the female had met an older male—later identified as Bernardo Tapio— on the internet via the app Snapchat and had made a plan for him to pick her up. A short time after the report was made, the juvenile returned home. 

An investigation was launched by the Sheriff’s Department, and according to the news release, it was determined that Tapio met the juvenile online, picked her up outside her residence, and took her to a motel in Bedford. Through the investigation, charges of child molesting and rape were filed against Tapio in Lawrence County. 

On Sept. 26, Tapio was arrested by the Indiana State Police in Elkhart and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. 

An ongoing investigation for possible charges in Greene County.

According to the news release, Tapia is a registered sex offender in Santa Clara, Calif. 

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Det. Shawn Cullison is investigating the incident. He was assisted by the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, Jasonville Police Department, and Bedford Police Department.