Canton Man Convicted of Raping Pre-Teen After Months of Grooming

A Cherokee County jury took 90 minutes to convict a 50-year-old Canton man who spent five months grooming a pre-teen girl before raping her.

⚖️ Why It Matters: Antonio Eliberto Lopez-Peren used a textbook predator playbook — gifts, food, and kindness — to gain access to a child while her father worked. The case shows how abusers exploit trust and isolation to commit crimes that often go unreported for months or years.

🔍 What Happened: The child told a friend about the abuse in April 2024, which triggered a Canton Police investigation. At the Anna Crawford Children’s Center, she described how Lopez-Peren would visit when her father was away, bringing presents and meals before the touching began. The abuse escalated to rape.

The five-day trial ended October 3 with guilty verdicts on all four counts: one count of rape, two counts of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, and one count of child molestation.

Prosecutors presented 16 witnesses and 27 exhibits, including the child’s forensic interview, home photographs, and cell phone records.

📖 The Pattern: Lopez-Peren followed what experts call the grooming process. He targeted the child when she was vulnerable. He filled a need by providing food and attention. He used gifts to build trust. He isolated her from protective adults. Then he sexualized the relationship over five months.

The child’s father, Canton Police officers, and experts on forensic interviewing and child sexual abuse dynamics all testified during the trial that began with jury selection September 29.

⏳ What’s Next: Sentencing has not been scheduled. Lopez-Peren faces decades in prison on the trafficking and rape convictions alone.

📞 For Families: Child Protective Services can be reached at 855-422-4453 to report suspected abuse. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

The Sources: Office of the District Attorney, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit; Canton Police Department; Anna Crawford Children’s Center.