Fernley kidnapper crosses border to Mexico

The convicted sex offender who kidnapped 8-year-old Bethany-Rose Rupp from her Fernley home on Friday has crossed the border into his native Tijuana, Mexico, officials reported Sunday.

However, he reportedly told his sister in Las Vegas that he has not harmed the girl and is trying to find a "good Christian family" so he can return her to her family.

According to Capt. Jeff Page of the Lyon County Sheriff's Department, Fernando Peons Aguero's mother is also working with authorities from her home in Mexico.

"She advised Lyon County detectives that she would try to have Fernando contact them," Page said. "She has been assisting in the investigation to have Lydia returned to her mother."

Rupp's mother met Aguero at a church function in April. He later moved into their home as a roommate.

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 Aguero 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 family's brown cocker spaniel.

A warrant has been issued for Aguero's arrest on charges of first-degree kidnapping and bail is set at $1 million.

Aguero, aka Fernando Ayala, aka Fernando Pons, was convicted in Los Angeles for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14 in 1985, served a year in prison and was released. He is 5-feet, 10-inches tall weighs between 165 and 175 pounds. He has a slim build with dark graying hair, brown eyes and a mustache.

He has a large, 8-inch scar on his lower right leg and foot and noticeable scars on both arms, as well as a surgical scar on his right shoulder. 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 medium complexion. She has scars from dog bites on her cheeks.

This is the second Amber Alert to be issued out of Lyon County. The first, in June 2004, resulted in the children being recovered. Across Nevada, 25 Amber Alerts have been issued and 23 of those children were located. The other two were taken to Mexico.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office is working with the Nevada Department of Public Safety, California Highway Patrol, National Missing & Exploited Children, Child Find and the FBI.

Anyone with information should call (775) 463-6620 or (775) 575-3383.

n Contact reporter Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1272.