Investigators say store surveillance and a criminal complaint link the man to contact with a 12-year-old and to stolen merchandise.
PEWAUKEE, Wis. — A 50-year-old Watertown man has been charged with first-degree child sex assault after a 12-year-old reported being followed and touched inside the St. Vincent de Paul store in Pewaukee on Nov. 9, authorities said. The investigation also led to misdemeanor theft counts against the man and his wife.
Prosecutors identified the suspect as Ricardo Puentes, who remains in the Waukesha County Jail. A criminal complaint says a detective reviewed store surveillance that appeared to show Puentes making contact with the child’s buttock while standing close behind her. The footage also captured Puentes and his wife, Ana Puentes, leaving with items they did not bring in, according to the complaint. The case matters now because it alleges sexual contact with a child in a public setting and adds separate theft allegations tied to the same stop, placing both criminal counts before a Waukesha County judge while investigators seek additional information.
According to the complaint, the 12-year-old was shopping with friends when she told staff a man had been following her between aisles, brushing against her and standing uncomfortably close. A Pewaukee detective later reviewed the store’s cameras, which investigators say showed Puentes’s left hand make contact with the girl’s buttock. After police located the couple, the complaint states, both were interviewed. In an interview recounted in the filing, Puentes told officers he thought the girl and her friends were 15 or 16 and said he was “stupid to think to touch” and that he “needs help.” The report says officers recovered merchandise that did not appear on any receipts.
The complaint lists the location as the St. Vincent de Paul store in Pewaukee and names both Ricardo and Ana Puentes in connection with items seen leaving the store. Investigators wrote that Ricardo carried a purse filled with jewelry and clothing and that Ana wore a blue winter coat that was not hers to begin with. Each now faces multiple misdemeanor theft counts, in addition to Ricardo’s felony child sex assault charge. No injuries beyond the described contact were noted in the report. Authorities have not said whether additional witnesses beyond the friends and store staff were interviewed, and they have not announced any further arrests related to the incident.
Records in the complaint indicate the incident date was Nov. 9 and that detectives used store video to identify the couple. Pewaukee police forwarded the case to the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office, which filed the charges after reviewing the recordings and interviews. Officials said the girl immediately reported the behavior to adults in the store, which prompted the review of video and the police response. The filing does not list an attorney for Ricardo or Ana Puentes. It also does not list any prior criminal history for either person, and prosecutors have not said whether they will seek additional counts as the case proceeds.
In the coming days, the case will move through initial procedural steps in Waukesha County. A preliminary hearing for both defendants is scheduled for Nov. 24, when a judge will decide whether the felony and misdemeanor counts have probable cause to continue. If bound over, an arraignment would follow and a trial schedule could be set later. Jail records show Ricardo Puentes remains in custody. The court record does not indicate any plea entered as of Tuesday night, and no future dates beyond the preliminary hearing were listed in the complaint made available to reporters.
Shoppers and nearby workers described a heavy law enforcement presence the day of the report as officers took statements and reviewed footage in a back room. “It was unsettling to see squad cars outside a thrift store on a Saturday afternoon,” a neighboring employee said, adding that staff appeared calm but focused on helping police. A St. Vincent de Paul spokesperson declined to discuss store security steps but said employees cooperate with law enforcement when asked. Residents outside the shop expressed relief that surveillance was available and that a quick report led to an arrest. None of the bystanders interviewed reported witnessing the initial contact.
As of late Tuesday, the complaint remained the primary public document describing the allegations, and police had not announced any additional victims or related incidents. The next scheduled milestone is the Nov. 24 preliminary hearing in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Further updates are expected after prosecutors outline evidence for the judge and defense counsel responds on the record.
Author note: Last updated November 19, 2025.