Case # 15CF2004
Date: September 8, 2015
LAW ENFORCEMENT SEEKING PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF CHURCH MEMBER CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING FOUR GIRLS UNDER 11
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD),and Tustin Police Department (TPD) are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a church member charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting four girls under the age of 11. Jose Luis Aguilera, 41, Santa Ana, is charged with two felony counts of kidnapping for the purpose of child molesting, seven felony counts of committing lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14, one felony count of sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger, and sentencing enhancement allegations for committing lewd acts upon multiple victims. If convicted, Aguilera faces a maximum sentence of 130 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting that Aguilera continue to be held on $1 million bail at his arraignment today, Sept. 8, 2015, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
At the time of the crime Aguilera was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Santa Ana. The defendant is accused of befriending the victims’ families, who attended the church.
Between Oct. 12, 2012, and Sept. 8, 2015, Aguilera is accused of sexually assaulting four victims between the ages of 9 and 11. The defendant is accused of committing lewd acts on the victims, including but not limited to touching victims’ genitals, digital penetration, and kissing the victims. During that time the defendant is also accused of kidnapping two of the victims at different times and driving the victims to separate locations in Tustin and Santa Ana with the intent to sexually assault them.
One of the victims reported the crime to a relative, who contacted SAPD. SAPD investigated this case and arrested the defendant on Sept. 4, 2015.
Anyone with additional information or who believes they may they may have been a victim is encouraged to contact OCDA Supervising Investigator Mark Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794 or SAPD Detective Alex Peartida at (714) 245-8660 or TPD Detective Hardacre at (714) 573-3248.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Heather Brown of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.