Community Corner
Police Seek Local Fugitive Charged with Sexually Assaulting Young Girls
Orange County sheriff's deputies are asking for help finding a man accused of assaulting three Lake Forest girls. Jesus Gomez Montes is believed to be in Laguna Beach or south OC.
Orange County sheriff's deputies and prosecutors called for help today in tracking down a man charged with sexually assaulting three girls younger than 10 in Lake Forest.
Jesus Gomez Montes, 34, is accused of attacking the three girls when he lived with families in two Lake Forest homes between 2002 and 2005, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Authorities suspect there may be more victims.
"It's not unusual to have a multi-bedroom home being shared or rented out to multiple families," said Lt. Pat Higa, chief of police services in Lake Forest. "If there are additional victims, we would like them to come forward. We want to make sure they know who to contact."
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Last month, a girl told a school counselor she had been sexually assaulted about a decade ago, according to prosecutors. As investigators looked into her allegation, they identified two more victims, prosecutors said.
Montes is Latino, about 5 feet 7 inches and 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes; he may be driving a gold-colored 2004 Nissan Murano with the California license plate 6PWE354, according to prosecutors.
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Montes may be living in southern Orange County, perhaps Laguna Beach or Lake Forest, and has relatives in Riverside County, prosecutors said.
Montes is charged with a felony count of sexual intercourse with a child younger than 10 and seven felony counts of lewd acts on a child younger than 14, prosecutors said.
He also faces sentence enhancing allegations for allegedly having more than one victim and substantial sexual conduct with a child.
An arrest warrant with bail set at $1 million has been issued for Montes, who faces up to 130 years to life in prison if convicted at trial, according to prosecutors.
Anyone with more information about Montes was asked to call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794. Anonymous tips can be left by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.
- City News Service
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