THOMASVILLE — A man wanted on a Thomas County rape charge has been extradited from Arizona and is being held in the Thomas County Jail without bond.

Uriber Alexander Mendez was wanted in a 2019 case in which a victim said Mendez sexually assaulted her.

A physical examination at The Treehouse Children’s Advocacy Center showed the girl had been sexually assaulted, said Capt. Tim Watkins, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office chief investigator.

Mendez was charged with rape, because the victim was under the age of 13, the investigator said.

“According to him, he went to Mexico,” Watkins said.

Mendez was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in a remote Arizona desert.

“They arrested him coming back in,” Watkins said.

Two sheriff’s office investigators flew to Arizona and returned Mendez to Thomas County the next day.

“We have several victims,” Watkins said.

Incidents took place during a one-year period. The sheriff’s office was notified in 2019 and incidents were alleged to have occurred in 2018 and 2019.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820