Tobias Dustin Summers kept his head down as he walked into a San Fernando courtroom. He faces 37 felony counts, 34 of which are sex-related counts. The others are for kidnapping a minor under the age of 14 and first-degree burglary.
Summers' arraignment was postponed until May 2. The judge served Summers with a protective order prohibiting him from having any contact whatsoever with the 10-year-old kidnapping victim.
The 30-year-old suspect had been spotted late last month on surveillance cameras as he crossed the border into Mexico at Tecate, east of San Diego. He was arrested on Wednesday and was immediately transported to L.A. County.
Authorities received a credible tip Tuesday night that helped officers pinpoint where Summers was. He had been on the run since the March 27 abduction of the Northridge girl. Police say he used a fake name to check in to a drug and alcohol treatment center south of Tijuana.
The FBI offered a $25,000 reward, and it was highly publicized south of the border. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said he believes it was the reward that led to the phone tip that eventually led to the arrest.
Suspected accomplice Daniel Martinez, who was arrested April 3, pleaded not guilty to one count each of kidnapping and first-degree burglary.
The victim's family thanked police and the FBI in a statement and said, "Throughout this ordeal, they've been working around the clock hunting this man -- not only for justice for our daughter, but to make sure he's unable to hurt anyone again. The LAPD and the FBI have been spectacular with us and our daughter. We can't begin to describe how their compassion and professionalism got us through that first day."
Summers is being held on $19 million bail.
