Missing teen found under blanket in backseat of man’s car in Missouri, feds say
A man from Spain is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who was found under a blanket in the backseat of his car.
Yeison Perdomo, 30, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, according to a June 30 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
McClatchy News reached out to Perdomo’s attorney for comment July 1 but did not immediately hear back.
According to officials, in February 2024, Perdomo met the girl on a dating website. At the time, the girl told Perdomo she was 20 years old, prosecutors said.
However, she later told him she was 15 years old, to which Perdomo said “I thought you might be,” according to court records. The girl then told him she was “not yet” 15, officials said.
The two continued to communicate, and between Feb. 28 and March 8, 2024, the two exchanged over 8,400 text messages, officials said.
The two often talked about meeting up to engage in sexual activity, prosecutors said.
Then, on March 8, the girl pretended to take a bus to school, but instead Perdomo picked her up and she didn’t return home, according to court records.
The girl’s parents reported her missing and authorities identified Perdomo’s vehicle and tracked him home, according to the release.
Police went to the home March 9 but didn’t find Perdomo or the girl inside. However, they looked inside his vehicle and saw a blanket in the backseat with human forms underneath them, court records said.
Officers knocked on the window and saw Perdomo inside, but he refused to come out and they had to drag him out of the vehicle, court records said.
The girl then came out from under the blanket, officials said.
After speaking with investigators, she told them that Perdomo engaged in sexual activity with her, officials said.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 18, and both sides have agreed to recommend 10 years in prison.
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Missing teen found under blanket in backseat of man’s car in Missouri, feds say."
