Santa Ana Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting 13-Year-Old Girl

SANTA ANA, CA — A 22-year-old man was charged Monday with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he met online in October.

Brayan Padilla-Gomez picked up the girl and drove her to his home, where the defendant was accused of videotaping his sexual assault, police alleged.

Padilla-Gomez then allegedly sent the video to a friend of the victim, another underage girl he attempted to meet and sexually assault with offers of drugs, police said.

When the girl who was sexually assaulted learned of the video from her friend she called police, investigators said.

Padilla-Gomez was charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than 14 as well as single counts each of kidnapping to commit a sex crime and lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14, all felonies.

Padilla-Gomez, who was arrested Thursday, was being held on $1 million bail, according to jail records.

Detectives believe there may be other victims of the suspect, and urged people with information on the case to call Detective Jorge Gaeta at 714- 245-8706 or jgaeta@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP- OCCS.

Padilla-Gomez did not enter a plea during his appearance in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana on Monday and was ordered to return to court for his arraignment Feb. 16.

City News Service