Modesto domestic violence call leads to torture, mayhem arrest in Salida

Modesto police officers' response to a domestic violence call led to the arrest of a man on suspicion of torture and mayhem, among other charges.

A Modesto woman reported Tuesday that she'd been in an argument with her boyfriend of about six months when he punched her. She has accused him of inflicting injuries on other dates, as well, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear.

The police report on the incident says the accused, Paul Pedro Barrera, is a Stockton resident, but officers arrested him Wednesday at a Salida address, Bear said.

He was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail, where he remained Thursday with bail set at $500,000.

In addition to mayhem and torture, 39-year-old Barrera faces charges of false imprisonment, assault with a caustic chemical, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and resisting arrest.

The caustic chemical charge is because Barrera is alleged to have used acetone on the victim in some way, Bear said.

Bear said mayhem means willfully inflicting a bodily injury to make the victim less capable of self-defense, or inflicting a permanent crippling mutilation or disfigurement of any part of the body. But specifics on the extent of the victim's injuries were not available Thursday, Bear said.

Torture falls under mayhem in the penal code and means inflicting great bodily injury for revenge, extortion, persuasion or any sadistic purpose.

There are no known witnesses to violence between the couple, Bear said. Detectives continue to gather evidence and conduct interviews, she said.

Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Tips also can be submitted via www.stancrimetips.org or by downloading the P3 app on a mobile device.

This story was originally published June 28, 2018 at 11:03 AM.