Amber alert: Fernley girl taken from home

An Amber Alert has been issued for Lydia Bethany-Rose Rupp, 8, who was allegedly taken from her Fernley home around noon Friday by a known sex offender.

The suspect, Fernando Peons Ayala, aka Fernando Aguero, aka Fernando Pons, is described as an Hispanic male around 47 years old. He's between 5-feet 10- inches and six-feet one-inch tall, weighing between 145 to 175 pounds. He has a slim build and brown hair and brown eyes.

He has a mustache and is known to wear a NASCAR jacket. He was driving a bluish-silver 2001 Kia Rio four-door sedan with no plates.

Rupp is 4-feet, 9-inches tall, 85 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes with a fair complexion.

Rupp's mother met Ayala at a church function in April. He had since moved into their home.

He dropped the mother off at work Friday around 5:30 a.m., but called at noon to say he could not pick her up.

The mother returned home to find her Ayala and her daughter both gone. He had taken with them the child's birth certificate, social security card and all photographs from the home, as well as the brown cocker spaniel.

Ayala was convicted in Los Angeles for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14 more than 10 years ago, served time and was released. He was supposed to register but it is unknown if he was registered in Lyon County.

Ayala may have been spotted at an automotive store in Reno on Friday night. It is not known what direction they are traveling but the suspect has friends in Las Vegas and San Diego areas.