Man charged with felony Child Molesting arrested in Elkhart

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- A California man is now facing six felony charges after he was arrested in Elkhart this week by Indiana State Police who were acting on a tip from a Greene County Sheriff's Detective. 

Authorities say 43-year-old Bernardo Revelez Tapia met his 12-year-old victim through the social media platform Snapchat before he allegedly traveled to the child's residence in Greene County, picked her up, and traveled to Bedford where he allegedly molested, strangled, and raped the child.

He drove the child back to her residence and then traveled to northern Indiana before being arrested in Elkhart.

"Utilizing several investigative techniques, Detective Sergeant Cullison and Senior Trooper Klun identified the suspect and located him in Elkhart," authorities said. "An arrest warrant was requested, and Troopers from the Indiana State Police Bremen District found Tapia. He was arrested without incident, and Tapia’s custody was transferred to the Elkhart County Jail before he was transferred to the Lawrence County Jail."

Tapia was arrested on the following charges:

• Charge I: Child Molesting, a Level 1 Felony
• Charge II: Child Molesting, a Level 1 Felony
• Charge III: Rape Committed by Using or Threatening Deadly Force, a Level 1 Felony
• Charge IV: Rape Committed by Using or Threatening Deadly Force, a Level 1 Felony
• Charge V: Strangulation, a Level 6 Felony
• Charge VI: Strangulation, a Level 6 Felony