Man Arrested for Assaulting Child in an Oxnard Wal-Mart

A 39-year-old Oxnard man who was arrested for assaulting a child in a Wal-Mart may also face charges for up to 20 other sexual assaults. According to an NBC Los Angeles news report, the alleged incident that led to his arrest and began the investigation occurred at the Wal-Mart on North Rose Avenue in Oxnard. Officials say surveillance tape shows the man touching a boy inappropriately as the boy played video games in the store. Investigators are now reviewing surveillance tapes at additional stores to see if there were more potential victims. As they investigate, he is being held in the Ventura County Jail on $50,000 bond and is not available for bail because of an immigration hold.

Committing a lewd act with a child under the age of 14 is a serious crime in California. According to California Penal Code Section 288: “Any person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act…upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years.”

When there are multiple incidents and multiple potential victims, the resulting penalties can be even more substantial. Anyone who is convicted of committing lewd acts against children is looking at prison time, hefty penalties, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

The experienced Ventura County sex crime defense attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan have a proven track record of fighting lewd act charges. If you or a loved one is facing these serious allegations, please call our offices at 866-430-8383 right away for a no-cost consultation.