Man Arrested For Allegedly Sexting Tucker Student

A man has been arrested on suspicion of sending explicit messages via cell phone last summer to a girl from Tucker.

According to Gwinnett County Police, Jose Rocha-Mata of Norcross was arrested Feb. 7 on charges of child molestation, and terroristic threats and acts. Police are also looking into his immigration status.

The parents of the 14-year-old girl reported to police that Rocha-Mata had sent multiple sexual text messages and a photo of his penis that were intended for their daughter, a student at Meadowcreek High School. The messages were in Spanish and sent to the girl via her mother's cell phone.

The girl had been using the phone during the day and evening when the communication started. She didn't reply to the man and instead showed the messages to her mother the following morning, who then called police.

The mother and stepfather said they and Rocha-Mata regularly attended the same nearby church, El Buen Samaritano off Pleasantdale Road near I-85.

Police were directed to an apartment in Norcross where Rocha-Mata apparently rented a room from the church's pastor. They spoke to the pastor, but the suspect was not home, according to the report.

Rocha-Mata was eventually found and arrested by the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office.