Man accused of contacting minor for sex; Authorities believe there may be more victims
A man is accused of using a dating app to chat with a 13-year-old girl on a and setting up a meeting with her at a park in Beaumont.
Leonides Edgardo Guzman, 27, of Phelan was arrested on suspicion of various felonies, including sending harmful matter to a minor and contacting a minor for sex.
Guzman is accused of chatting with an underage girl that turned out to be an undercover investigator with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office investigator on the Sexual Assault felony Enforcement/Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
The task force is led by the DA’s Bureau of Investigation working in partnership with several other law enforcement agencies.
Officials said the undercover investigator identified themselves to Guzman as a 13-year-old girl. Despite this, Guzman allegedly sent the undercover investigator multiple inappropriate/illegal photos.
(Courtesy of DA's Office)
Guzman was arrested Wednesday morning at Nicklaus Park in Beaumont, where he set up the meeting with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
He is being held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Center in Banning on $200,000 bail.
Authorities say they believe there may be additional underage victims who have had contact with Guzman. They are asking for the public's help in identifying them.
If you, or someone you know, had or may have had any illicit contact with the suspect, you are asked to call the task force toll-free at (866) 723-3595 or email safe@rivcoda.org.
"This latest operation involving our SAFE/ICAC Team has successfully arrested yet another dangerous alleged sexual predator and we will continue to actively pursue these predators in our communities," said the District Attorney’s Chief of Investigators Joe DelGiudice. "While reports of these types of online predatory incidents against children have increased during the pandemic, the citizens of Riverside County should know that the DA’s Office and, especially our Bureau of Investigation, are vigilant in its mission to keep children safe and hold offenders accountable."
