A 22-year-old Anaheim man was charged Thursday with molesting two girls he met through his position as a Santa Ana church youth leader.
Jesse Francisco Hernandez Perez, arrested at his home on Wednesday, faces three counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14 and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse, all felonies, according to court records.
He also faces a sentencing enhancement allegation of multiple victims.
Perez was a youth leader at the Iglesia De Restauracion church at 1621 E. 17th St., Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
An 11-year-old girl came forward March 5 to allege that the suspect lured her during church services into a restroom and sexually assaulted her, Bertagna said. She did not immediately report the alleged encounter and continued attending services with her family, he said.
A 14-year-old girl told police last month she was molested in his home, “where he was leading a youth program from his home,” Bertagna said.
“The nexus is the church,” he said. “It’s where he meets his victims. That’s why we believe there may be other victims out there.”
Perez is accused of sodomy in one of the counts, according to court records.
Perez was being held on $100,000 bail.
Anyone who may have information helpful to investigators was asked to call Detective Cpl. Johanna Perez at (714) 245-8351, or email jperez5@santa-ana.org. Orange County Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips at (855) TIP-OCCS.
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