Investigation continues in Atwater gang rape case

The search continued Friday for a man wanted for his alleged role in a gang rape earlier this week of an Atwater teenager.

Police are looking for 21-year-old Guillermo Rebollero in connection with the alleged attack on the 18-year-old victim Sunday at a home on Kelso Street in Atwater. Officers believe multiple men were involved, and all of them have connections to an Atwater street gang, Lt. Samuel Joseph said.

“He’s still on the run, and we’re hoping someone from the public can give us a call and let us know where he’s hiding,” Joseph said.

Joseph said officers have also collected physical evidence for analysis, but said it was too early in the investigation to elaborate. The police lieutenant said investigators have several leads in the case but, as of Friday, have only obtained a warrant for Rebollero.

Police said the victim met Rebollero online at least several weeks earlier. She went to meet him for the first time Saturday night. Some time around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police said, she was tricked into going to the home on Kelso Street.

“She was basically told they were going to a party, that there would be other people there,” Joseph said. “When she arrived, she quickly realized there were no other females at the party and she was alone with just this group of guys.”

Police said the woman was sexually assaulted, but was able to escape after the men feared she had managed to contact police from the home.

Joseph said the incident should remind people about the potential dangers of meeting strangers online.

“Social media is a tool predators use, and it can be very dangerous to meet people you don’t know,” Joseph said. “You should always be extremely cautious.”

Rebollero has been described by police as Latino, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 175 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He is considered dangerous and possibly armed, police said.

Rebollero pleaded guilty Nov. 17 in a felony domestic violence case and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, according to Merced Superior Court records.

This story was originally published May 1, 2015 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Investigation continues in Atwater gang rape case."