A man arrested in California for kidnapping, torturing and raping his girlfriend for a month

By Marlene Lenthang -

A man was arrested in California on suspicion of kidnapping, torturing and raping his girlfriend, after she reported to the authorities that she was held captive for a month.

Saúl Ortega, 29, was arrested Saturday by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office, charged with multiple charges for alleged abuse of his 25-year-old girlfriend, who lives in Modesto - east of San Francisco - and whose name has not been been revealed. 

The woman was held against her will for about a month, the sheriff's office explained in a statement.

Moment in which Saúl Ortega is arrested at his home in Modesto, California, on December 4, 2021, on charges of kidnapping, torture and rape. Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office

On Saturday around 1:30 a.m., Stanislaus County authorities were alerted to the woman's situation by Fresno County authorities, who requested to examine her after she reported that she had been held captive. 

The woman escaped from Ortega's home two days earlier, on December 2, but claimed that she did not immediately call the police because the man threatened her and her family.

["Let's start cutting fingers."

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Stanislaus County aides found her with "significant injuries to her body, including bruises and burns."

She was taken to a hospital for treatment, authorities confirmed.

From there, the Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Persons Unit took over the investigation, with the help of other divisions, including a SWAT team and the Special Investigations Unit. 

That same Saturday, around 8:45 am, the agents handed Ortega an arrest warrant, as well as a search warrant to find evidence. 

Authorities shared a video showing the SWAT team surrounding the house and a man exiting with his hands raised. 

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Ortega was arrested for kidnapping, illegal detention, rape, torture, domestic violence, criminal threats, possession of cocaine with the intention of selling it, and possession of firearms.

An elderly woman was also detained at the home, but was later released after cooperating with detectives, authorities said.

Ortega is currently under arrest on a $ 1 million bond at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.

Investigators said "there is reason to believe that Ortega may have victimized other people."