Santa Ana man charged with exposing penis to girls – more victims sought

TONY RACKAUCKAS, ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: August 22, 2011
Susan Kang Schroeder, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Chief of Staff Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

Case # 11WF1978: OCDA SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF MAN CHARGED WITH EXPOSING PENIS TO THREE MINOR GIRLS AND 18-YEAR-OLD WALKING TO SCHOOL

WESTMINSTER – The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) is seeking the public’s help Identifying potential additional victims of a man charged with exposing his penis to three minor girls and an 18-year-old female who were walking to school. John Rodriguez, 20, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of attempted sexual battery, four misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, and three misdemeanor counts of child annoyance. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years and six months in custody and will be ordered to register as a sex offender. The People will be requesting Rodriguez be held on $250,000 bail at his arraignment today, Monday, Aug. 22, 2011, at 1:30 p.m. in Department W-15, West Justice Center, Westminster.

If Rodriguez is found guilty in this case, mandatory sex offender registration will now prohibit him from entering County and Westminster and Irvine City parks without prior permission from the respective police departments because these municipalities recently enacted laws creating child safety zones to protect children in places where they regularly gather from sexual predators. Other Orange County cities are in the process of enacting similar laws.

At approximately 8:45 a .m. on Jan. 25, 2011, Rodriguez is accused of driving in his car and approaching 15-year-old Jane Doe #1, who was walking on Newhope Street and Opal Avenue in Fountain Valley to Los Amigos High School.

Rodriguez is accused of asking the victim for directions to Mile Square Park. As Jane Doe #1 began to give him directions, he is accused of pulling down the front portion of his shorts and exposing his penis to the victim. Rodriguez is accused of reaching out and grabbing the victim’s right wrist and attempting to pull her arm inside the vehicle through the open passenger side window.

Jane Doe #1 was able to escape to her school and reported the sexual assault to the Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD). The defendant is accused of fleeing the scene.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2011, Rodriguez is accused of driving in his car and approaching two female siblings, who were walking to Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley. While in a residential area on Holly Avenue and San Gabriel Street, he is accused of asking 17-year-old Jane Doe #2 and her 14-year-old sister Jane Doe #3 for directions through his open driver side window to Newhope Street. After the victims gave the defendant directions, Rodriguez is accused of driving away. Seconds later, he is accused of returning again in his car and approaching the victims to offer them a ride. Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3 said no, and then Rodriguez is accused of exposing his penis to the victims and stroking it while seated in his car and asking, “You want some of this?” The defendant is accused of fleeing the scene. The two siblings called their father, who instructed them to continue to school and report the incident to police. FVPD investigated the case.

At approximately 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2011, 18-year-old Jane Doe #4 was walking on McFadden Avenue to La Quinta High School in Santa Ana. Rodriguez is accused of approaching the victim in his car and calling out his window to get her attention. Jane Doe #4, thinking he needed directions, walked up to the open passenger side window. Rodriguez is accused of exposing his penis to the victim while holding it and asking, “How about some of this?” Jane Doe #4 moved away from the vehicle and was able to obtain the vehicle’s license plate. The defendant is accused of fleeing the scene. Once at school, the victim reported the sexual assault.

Upon further investigation conducted by FVPD and the Westminster Police Department (WPD), Rodriguez was linked to the sexual assaults. He was arrested Aug. 19, 2011. The victims in this case did not know the defendant or each other, with the exception of the siblings.

The investigation is ongoing and the District Attorney is seeking the public’s help in identifying potential additional victims.

Rodriguez is a resident of Santa Ana and drives a black 2009 Toyota Camry. He is accused of working as a dental assistant at Western Dental located at 500 North Main Street in Santa Ana.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Carl Waddell at (714) 834-7538, FVPD Detective Jesse Hughes at (714) 593-4480, or WPD Detective Claudia McCarthy at (714) 548-3736.

Deputy District Attorney Richard Zimmer is prosecuting this case.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorneywww.orangecountyda.com • 401 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701