ARTESIA — An Artesia man was arrested last week on charges relating to criminal sexual contact.
Artesia Police Department officers were dispatched Dec. 23, 2019, to the Abo Apartments in reference to harassment.
Upon arrival, police made contact with the victim, who stated she had been watching a video from the doorway of her neighbor’s apartment when the man, identified as 67-year-old Lino Bustamante, of Artesia, asked to touch the woman’s stomach, as she is expecting.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim said Bustamante proceeded to grab her breast and place his hand inside her pants, at which point she smacked his hand away and left. The woman made contact with apartment management, who attempted to summon Bustamante to the office to speak with police. The report states Bustamante was “highly intoxicated” and did not come to the office.
A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest on charges of criminal sexual contact, and he was taken into custody at 4:27 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
