The SAPD arrested a male suspect for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old girl

Santa Ana Police arrested Brayan Padilla-Gomez, a 22-year-old resident of Santa Ana for child molestation. Police investigated allegations made by a 13-year-old female victim that she had been sexually molested by Padilla-Gomez who she met online during the month of October 2021. Padilla-Gomez befriended the victim on social media and lured her with the promise to provide drugs.

Padilla-Gomez picked up the victim and drove her to his home where he sexually assaulted her and video recorded the incident. Padilla-Gomez sent the video to the victim’s friend, who is also a minor, and attempted to meet her with the intent to engage in sex acts and provide her drugs.

The victim became aware of the video after speaking to her friend and immediately called the police. Santa Ana Police Detectives initiated an investigation and arrested Padilla-Gomez during a sting operation.

Padilla-Gomez was booked at the Orange County Jail for kidnapping and multiple child molestation charges. His bail has been set at $1,000,000.00.

Santa Ana Police Department Detectives believe there may be additional victims that Padilla-Gomez preyed upon through social media and ask anyone with information to contact Detective Jorge Gaeta at 714-245-8706, jgaeta@santa-ana.org, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. The Santa Ana Police Department would like to remind parents to closely monitor their child’s social media activity for any inappropriate content.