South Lake Tahoe man jailed on sex abuse charges

A 64-year-old South Lake Tahoe man wanted on multiple sex abuse charges was arrested at a Carson City casino on Monday, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Samuel John Hernandez was arrested at 2:31 p.m. in the 3800 block of South Carson Street after a brief pursuit by deputies. He was considered a fugitive from justice in South Lake Tahoe on El Dorado County, Calif., warrant charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. Hernandez is being held on $500,000.

According to the arrest report, deputies received information that Hernandez was in Carson City and was as a passenger in a white Jeep Cherokee with California plates. A deputy located the Jeep and advised it was occupied by two men with Hernandez being the passenger. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop but got held up in traffic.

A Carson City sheriff’s sergeant found the Jeep in a parking lot of the casino and detained the driver. The passenger was not in the vehicle. While inside the casino, a deputy found the man who identified himself as Hernandez and told the officer he was the one they were looking for, the report states. He was arrested and taken to jail. The driver of the Jeep was released from the scene.