FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2006
MAN PRETENDING TO WORK FOR JOHNSON & JOHNSON COMPANY CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE COUNTS OF CHILD MOLESTATION FOR LICKING LITTLE BOYS’ FEET
NEWPORT BEACH – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged a homeless man with five felony counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14 and one misdemeanor count of child annoyance. If convicted of all counts, Steven Michael Jones, 43, faces 16 years in state prison. He is being held on $100,000 bail. He will appear in H2, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach on May 19, 2006, at 9:00 AM for arraignment .
Facts of the case:
On September 7, 2005, Jones is accused of annoying a boy under the age of 14 with an abnormal sexual interest in a child. Jones is accused of saying sexually explicit statements to a boy who came into a Carl’s Jr. Restaurant located at 3939 S. Camino Real in San Clemente. The victim is John Doe #6 on the complaint.
On March 28, 2006, the defendant is accused of approaching several boys who were at a park next to the Dana Point Library located on 33841 Niguel Road. Jones is accused of pretending to work for the Johnson & Johnson Company, pretending to offer them parts in television commercials, promising to pay a lot of money, and licking the feet of four 13-year-old boys. The victims are John Doe #1 through 4.
On April 13, 2006, Jones is accused of approaching three boys sitting on a bench at a mobile home park in San Clemente located at 2749 N. El Camino. All three had their shoes and socks off from having just walked in the sand. Jones is accused of pretending to work for Johnson & Johnson and asking the boys if he could see their feet. He is accused of licking the bottom of one of the boy’s feet.
The law prohibits willfully touching any body part of a child under the age of 14 with the sexual intent to either arouse the child or himself. It does not matter if the child consented to the act. The body part touched need not be genitalia or buttocks.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Fell of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting the case. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is requesting the public’s help in this case. If anyone has been approached in a similar manner or has any information about this case, they should contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Craig Kelsey at 714-347-8794.
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