Case # 15WF2533
Date: December 10, 2015
OCDA SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF CHILDREN’S CLOWN PERFORMER CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO GIRLS UNDER 10 YEARS OLD
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a children’s clown performer who was charged today and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for sexually assaulting two girls under 10 years old. Gualberto Torres-Vargas, 37, Huntington Beach, is charged with three felony counts of sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 years old or younger, five felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger, two felony counts of committing a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for committing lewd acts upon multiple victims. If convicted, Torres-Vargas faces a maximum sentence of 175 years to life in state prison. Torres-Vargas is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Dec. 11, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
Torres-Vargas was initially charged in this case on Nov. 23, 2015, with five felony counts for sexual assaulting Jane Doe 1. The complaint was amended today to reflect two felony charges pertaining to Jane Doe 2 and three additional charges pertaining to Jane Doe 1.
At the time of the crimes, Torres-Vargas worked as a clown performer on the weekends and had access to children; however, the defendant did not meet his two victims while working as a clown.
Between Nov. 1, 2014, and Nov. 9, 2015, the defendant is accused of meeting 9-year-old Jane Doe 1 and sexually assaulting her, including sexually penetrating and orally copulating Jane Doe 1.
At the same time, the defendant is accused of meeting 5-year-old Jane Doe 2, and sexually assaulting her, including molesting and orally copulating Jane Doe 2.
Jane Doe 1 reported the crime to her mother. Jane Doe 1’s mother contacted the Huntington Beach Police Department, who investigated this case.
The investigation in this case is ongoing. Anyone with additional information or who believes that they may have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Mark Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794. Torres-Vargas’ booking photo will not be released at this time, and will released at a later date.
Deputy District Attorney Lexie Elliott of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.