| For Immediate Release Case # 10WF2234 February 23, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
former ELEMENTARY School aidE convicted and sentenced for attempting to meet 11-year-old boy for sex acts and sending nude photos to three boys
SANTA ANA – A former part-time aide of Villa Park Elementary School’s afterschool program was convicted today of sending lewd photographs of himself to three boys and attempting to meet an 11-year-old for sex acts after meeting the victims through an online cell phone application. Miguel Antonio Mendoza, 21, Orange, pleaded guilty to a court offer to one felony count each of lewd acts upon a child under 14 and attempted lewd act upon a child under 14, and three felony counts each of possession and control of child pornography and distributing pornography to a minor. Mendoza was sentenced to 180 days in jail and lifetime sex offender registration. The People advocated for a sentence of three years in state prison.
Beginning in August 2010, Mendoza met 11-year-old John Doe #1, 15-year-old John Doe #2, and 17-year-old John Doe #3 through an Internet cell phone application. He sent text messages to all three victims including nude photographs of himself with the intent to sexually seduce them. The defendant also instructed all three victims to send him nude pictures of themselves through cell phone text messages.
Over the course of the month, Mendoza continued to communicate with all three victims via text messages. On Aug. 29, 2010, he arranged to meet John Doe #1 at 11:30 p.m. at a 7-Eleven located at Euclid Street and Warner Avenue in Fountain Valley with the intention of engaging in sex acts.
That same day, the mother of John Doe #1 noticed inappropriate text messages and pictures from Mendoza on her son’s cell phone and contacted the Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD), who investigated this case. Mendoza arrived at 7-Eleven at the pre-arranged time and was arrested by FVPD. When apprehended by police, the defendant was in possession of nude pictures of victims John Doe #1, #2, and #3.
Deputy District Attorney Nagy Morcos of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.
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