Juan Ramon Juarez-Talamantes, 29, Charged With Three Statutory Rapes in Buncombe County

Juan Ramon Juarez-Talamantes, 29, is in custody at the Buncombe County Detention Center facing three criminal counts of statutory rape and is being held without bond, local officials and reporting show. WLOS quoted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security saying, "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is asking law enforcement not to release a man without notifying ICE, who is in custody in Buncombe County under three charges of statutory rape."

Buncombe County authorities and Asheville police investigators say the charges involve minors. As WLOS reported, "Juan Ramon Juarez-Talamantes, 29, faces three counts of statutory rape involving a child at least 13, 14 or 15 years of age," a description attributed to a Buncombe County Sheriff's Office press release dated Feb. 5, 2026.

The charging timeline spans several months of investigation. WLOS reported that "Juarez‑Talamantes was initially arrested and charged with two counts of statutory rape involving minors on Nov. 19, 2025. The additional charge was filed on Jan. 22, 2026, involving a third victim, BCSO confirmed." The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office and Asheville Police Department investigated reports made during 2024–2025 before the filings, according to local reporting.

Immigration enforcement has intervened while local prosecutors pursue criminal charges. The Department of Homeland Security notice cited by WLOS indicates ICE has lodged an arrest detainer on the inmate and requested that Buncombe County authorities notify ICE prior to any release. Local reporting also notes the detainer and custody took place amid criticism of Buncombe County's sanctuary-related policies, and the WLOS article included "Protests" among its topic tags.

Photographs of the booked inmate are credited to the Buncombe County Detention Center in local coverage. WLOS reporter Ruby Annas filed the story on Feb. 10, 2026, with an update on Feb. 11, 2026, and linked to a full BCSO statement from November 2025 and other community statements not reproduced in the excerpted coverage.

Several key documents and details have not been publicly released in the material cited by local coverage: full charging complaints, the exact North Carolina statutory citations, locations where the alleged offenses occurred, and whether the defendant has retained counsel or has an upcoming court date on the public docket. Buncombe County Sheriff's Office and Asheville Police Department statements referenced by WLOS remain the principal official sources cited in public reporting to date.