On Tuesday, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office arrested a standout McAllen High School basketball player on suspicion of sexual assault. According to Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. Eddie Guerra, Darren Manriquez, 17, was arraigned by Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Jaime Muoz on a sexual assault charge and given a $10,000 bond.
According to the jail’s database, Manriquez was freed the day he was arrested. In a text message Thursday, Sheriff Guerra said that deputies responded to a call regarding a sexual assault in the 4700 block of East State Highway 107 in Edinburg on Feb. 6.
When deputies arrived, they were contacted by the mother of a 17-year-old girl, who “said that her daughter had “supposedly” been sexually assaulted by a male classmate, Darren Manriquez, after a night out at a friend’s house,” according to the sheriff.
The Monitor does not identify sexual assault victims.
According to Guerra, the woman told investigators that Manriquez sexually attacked her “after multiple times telling him to stop while at a friend’s residence.” “Investigators made contact with multiple witnesses who provided sufficient evidence to seek an arrest warrant for Manriquez,” he wrote. Guerra stated that the district attorney’s office would review the case.
On Wednesday, the Monitor requested a probable cause affidavit for Manriquez’s arrest. On Thursday, county attorneys presented The Monitor with a letter the county wrote to the Texas Attorney General’s office requesting an opinion on whether the county was required to provide that material. The county stated in the letter that it does not feel the material is subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act since the victim is under the age of 18. In addition, the document contains confidential or embarrassing information.
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“The disclosure of the complainant’s private facts may be unpleasant to a reasonable person,” it added. “Releasing the information would be a violation of the complainant’s right to privacy and could discourage others from filing similar complaints.”
When asked for comment on Thursday, a McAllen ISD spokesman stated that in the circumstances such as Manriquez’s arrest, the district follows the disciplinary procedures specified in its Student Code of Conduct. Manriquez’s basketball career began as a freshman with the Rowe Warriors during the 2019-20 season. He was selected The Monitor’s All-Area Offensive Player of the Year the following year. Manriquez transferred to McAllen High for his junior year, but the District 31-5A committee initially denied his ability to compete in athletics. He successfully appealed the judgment and was granted permission to play for McHi this season. Manriquez and his club had a solid season.
Manriquez contributed to the Bulldogs’ District 31-5A co-championship by averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 assists per game, both team highs. The squad advanced to the Region IV-5A semifinals of the playoffs before being eliminated last Friday. Last week, Head Coach Ryan Flores predicted a state championship based on their performance.
