Ex Manager Of Popular Regional Mexican Singer Arrested For Rape

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- A Santa Barbara County man who's the former manager of popular Regional Mexican singer Roberto Tapia has been accused of raping a woman at a motel in Indio, and is now free on $55,000 bail, according to police.

Officers were sent at 4:25 a.m. Saturday, July 20 to the Quality Inn Suites on Indio Springs Parkway, Indio Police Department spokesman Ben Guitron said.

The alleged victim, whose name was withheld, told officers she had accepted a ride to the hotel from a group of people she met at a nightclub in Coachella and was raped in one of the rooms.

Police arrested Freddy Perez, 27, of Santa Maria, about 5:35 a.m. and booked him into the Indio jail on suspicion of rape by force/fear. He was released the following day after posting bail and given a Sept. 18 court date, according to jail records.

Tapia, who was born in San Diego but raised in Sinaloa, Mexico, released his debut album in 2002. Among his career highlights is appearing as a coach on the first two seasons of a Spanish-language version of the singing competition series "The Voice," featuring American Spanish-speaking kids. It aired on Telemundo.

According to a post on Tapia's Instagram page, Perez was no longer representing Tapia as of May 24, 2019. However, Perez was also a booking agent for the band "Enigma Norteño," which performed at "Mi Lindo Sinaloa," a nightclub in Coachella on Friday, July 19, the night before the alleged rape.

Indio police have not named the nightclub the victim was at prior to the sexual assault.

City News Service contributed to this report.