Fond du Lac County mother charged with trafficking of daughter, boyfriend charged with sexual assault

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Criminal charges have officially been filed against two people in Fond du Lac County who are accused of being involved in a "complex" child rape, human trafficking incident.

Juan Carlos Rocha Mejia, 31, is charged with first-degree sexual assault, child enticement, strangulation/suffocation, and false imprisonment, while Elia Antonio, 33, is charged with trafficking of a child, failure to protect a child, and bail jumping.

Deputies with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office previously said they were dispatched to a home in the town of Oakfield for a sexual assault complaint, after a caller reported a young girl showed up at his door seeking help just after midnight on May 19.

According to court documents obtained by CBS 58, that girl is Antonio's 12-year-old daughter, who had fled from a vehicle where Mejia allegedly attempted to tie her hands and blindfold her before trying to assault her.

Officials said she was able to fight back and break free, despite other attempts to cover her mouth and nose with a shirt.

"She felt like she had little air so she started controlling her breathing like she was taught when she played sports," documents said.

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White any time there are child sexual assault cases, it's "heartbreaking."

“When we see circumstances of sexual assault and violent crime and someone’s able to fight back and have that bravery, I think everybody may have an idea of what they may do in circumstances like that, but you may not know until you’re in that situation," Toney said. 

A criminal complaint confirms Mejia and Antonio were in a relationship at the time of the incident and that they are both in the country illegally. 

ICE has also placed a detainer on the two suspects, officials said.

“When you magnify situations where somebody may not be in the country legally, that can present investigative challenges, other issues," Toney said. 

On May 19, authorities spoke with Antonio who reportedly claimed Mejia said he wanted her daughter and if she didn't accept money, she'd be kidnapped.

The complaint said Antonio said the amount was "like $250." Officials found $272 dollars in the center console of the vehicle.

While Antonio told officials Mejia had threatened her, there are no reports of calls for help listed in the documents.

Both appeared in court on Wednesday for the first time, with Mejia telling the judge through a translator that he has "nothing to do" with what he's being accused of. 

A judge set cash bond at $1 million for each, with preliminary hearings scheduled for June 7 at 2:00 p.m.

Officials say the victim and her siblings are safely in protective custody by the Fond du Lac County Human Services.