Two Tri-Cities men are accused of attacking two teen girls in a Richland apartment after getting them drunk.
Marco Antonio Elias Tejada, 24, of Pasco, and Robert G. Ramirez, 21, of Richland, appeared in court Friday after a public chase the day before through a Richland neighborhood, according to court documents and a Richland police Facebook post .
Ramirez allegedly arranged to meet the girls, who are wards of the state, outside of a Tri-Cities high school before he and Elias Tejada brought them to Richland, gave them alcohol and raped them.
Both men are being held in the Benton County jail on suspicion of second-degree rape and giving alcohol to minors. Elias Tejada faces an accusation of third degree rape of a child, while Ramirez faces third-degree rape.
Ramirez is being held on $100,000 bail and Elias Tejada is being held on $75,000.
Ramirez has a lengthy criminal history that dates back to when he was a young teen. It includes convictions for vehicular assault, unlawful imprisonment and violating protection orders.
Elias Tejada has one previous conviction for unlawful imprison in 2021 in Benton County.
Their defense attorney is waiting before making any arguments to lower the bail amount during their initial appearance in court on Friday.
They’ve also been ordered to turn over their passports, not have any contact with minors and not to have any alcohol if they are able to pay the bail.
Two teens attacked
Ramirez allegedly arranged the meeting after talking to one of the teens on social media, according to court documents. Ramirez and Elias Tejada met the two girls outside of a Kennewick high school on Thursday.
They made a stop at a convenience store for alcohol and then headed to Richland.
Investigators say they stopped at the Columbia Point Marina park and started drinking. Then they went to Ramirez’s apartment on Mowry Square.
When they arrived, the younger teen was “extremely intoxicated” and having trouble walking. She had to be helped inside of the apartment. Once inside, the girls were given drugs in addition to the alcohol.
The group hung out inside the apartment for some time, and the younger teen passed out on a bed.
Then Elias Tejada allegedly took the older girl to a bathroom and demanded she performed sexual acts, court documents say. He allegedly held her down while he did.
When she was able to escape the bathroom, the teen allegedly saw Ramirez zipping up his pants and the other girl with her pants off while she was unconscious.
Runaway and possible kidnapping
As the group was leaving the Mowry Square apartments, the still intoxicated younger girl “caused a disturbance,” court documents said.
Richland police said it appeared to onlookers that the girl was being kidnapped and they called 911. They gave police a description of the car, which was seen leaving the apartment building.
About the same time, the group home where the two girls live reported that they had not come home and were concerned that they had run away.
A Benton County sheriff’s deputy spotted the car, and stopped it at the intersection of Leslie and Bartlett roads.
Elias Tejada stayed in the car, but Ramirez ran away from the car. Police cordoned off the area, and used a drone to find where Ramirez was hiding. He was arrested.
The two girls were brought to Kadlec Regional Medical Center for sexual assault examinations. The younger teen denied anything sexual had happened. She appeared to still be under the influence during the interview.
Ramirez initially denied any sexual acts happen, but then claimed he had intercourse with the younger teen in the back of the car. He said nothing happened in the apartment. He said the girls told him they were adults.
Investigators said his statements were inconsistent and he withheld information.
Elias Tejada claimed the sex was consensual.
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