EXCLUSIVE
Robert Sanchez, film producer and founder of the pioneering movie blog IESB.net who disappeared when allegations surfaced that he sexually abused his 14-year-old stepdaughter in June, is hiding out in Mexico from three open warrants, TheWrap has learned.
Sanchez is in a town on the Southern tip of Baja avoiding the warrants, and detectives from the sheriff's department in San Bernardino, near his last known residence, want to speak with him in person about the abuse claims, police tell TheWrap.
Around the time the disturbing allegations were first reported by TheWrap in June, Sanchez bolted his home in the Inland Empire suburb of Alta Loma, left his wife and a couple of writers to run IESB and deleted his Facebook profile.
Along with the sexual abuse allegations, Sanchez faced open warrants from theft charges in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. He also had an outstanding warrant for a Miami domestic violence charge.
At the time of his initial disappearance, detectives investigating for the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department told TheWrap they were unaware of Sanchez' whereabouts and that he was avoiding them.
IESB came back to life on the eve of Comic Con July 21 with new owners who said "Robert Sanchez is in no way, shape, or form involved in the running of IESB." Sanchez, who was known for hosting the wild "Wrath of Con" party at Comic Con, wasn't seen at the annual fanboy bonanza in San Diego this year. His party went on with new organizers and a new name, "From Dusk 'Til Con."
Sanchez resurfaced in late July with a 4,068 word blog post that vehemently denied any abuse, and blamed the situation on his wife's ex-husband and his stepdaughter, who he said suffers from "mental illness" and "teen-girl bi-polar hypersexuality." He said the Florida assault charges were the result of false accusations made against him by his "psycho crazy first wife."
After Sanchez published his denial, TheWrap spoke to the lead investigator on the case, Det. Matt Griffiths, who said that Sanchez had spoken to police on the phone, but the authorities were not aware of his whereabouts and could not get him to come in for questioning.
On Wednesday, Griffiths told TheWrap that Sanchez informed him he was in Mexico in a telephone conversation. Sanchez has repeatedly declined requests to speak to police detectives in person.
Sanchez left a message for TheWrap late last week, seeking to schedule a call. He has not responded to subsequent requests for comment.
Sanchez is listed as a producer on Lakeshore Entertainment's upcoming supernatural action movie "I, Frankenstein," which Patrick Tatopoulos is attached to direct. He's also is listed as having worked with the camera crew on "Paris Hilton's My New BFF."
Josh Dickey contributed reporting to this story.
