ESCONDIDO — A man who tried to abduct a child near Pioneer Elementary School in Escondido pleaded guilty on April 27 to charges of attempted kidnapping and sending harmful matter to a minor.
Jose Ruiz Cruz, 28, was arrested in February of last year after Escondido police said he drove up to a child walking to school and tried to pull the student into a vehicle.
The child was able to flee and reported the incident, police said. Officers arrested Cruz the following day after spotting the suspect’s vehicle on Auto Parkway near Andreasen Drive.
Cruz, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month, faces up to nine years and eight months in state prison.
