Valencia preyed on single mothers he met through mutual friends. He convinced the mothers that he could be a surrogate father to the victims. Investigators discovered five known victims between the ages of 7 and 17 when the assaults occurred.
According to police, he gained the trust of the mothers by taking the boys to sporting events, amusement parks and movies. When the boys were away from their mothers, he showed them pornographic images and sexually abused them. A jury found Santos guilty of three counts of oral copulation of a minor, two counts of continuous sexual abuse, two counts of lewd acts upon a child, two counts of sodomy upon a child and one count of attempted sodomy.
Police arrested Santos in February of this year and he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Prior to his arrest, police observed children entering Santos’ home. Investigators believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward in the case. Santos will return to court on January 22, 2018 for sentencing.
Los Angeles sex crimes attorney
When you face charges related to sexual offenses, hire an experienced sex crimes attorney like Robert Helfend. Few accusations are more damaging than those involving sexual offenses, especially when the victims are children. Convictions for sexual offenses can carry significant penalties that continue long after a prison sentence ends.
Lifetime sex offender registration awaits most convicted sex offenders. Registration often means that offenders can’t find adequate housing or employment following their release from prison. In addition, registration requirements follow sex offenders from state to state. Rigid enforcement also means that offenders will be visited often to ensure compliance with registration requirements.
Your best defense strategy is to hire an experienced Sex Crimes attorney to defend you in court. Many attorneys don’t like taking sex offense cases and will not fight aggressively for your rights and freedom. Don’t settle for an attorney who won’t fight on your behalf.
Contact Robert Helfend or call toll-free at (800) 834-6434, (310) 456-3317, (818) 591-2809 or (805) 273- 5611 for an immediate consultation on your Los Angeles County sex crimes case.
Photo Credit: Ernesto D Quesada, via Flickr.com
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