Yucca Valley man accused of meeting a minor for lewd purposes, additional victims sought

Leo Phillip Huerta, 40, of Yucca Valley was arrested after authorities said he attempted to meet a minor for lewd purposes.

The investigation that led to Huerta's arrest dates back to Dec. 15, 2021.

CC Unit, an organization that works to catch online predators, told News Channel 3 that they confronted Huerta after learning that he attempted to meet a minor for sex. He fled the area and the organization notified the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department. The department confirmed that Morongo Basin Sheriff's detectives started their investigation that same day.

On Jan. 6, Huerta was taken into custody and interviewed at the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station. He was placed under arrest at the conclusion of the interview, according to the department.

Huerta is currently being held at the West Valley Detention Center with bail set at $150,000. He was officially charged with meeting with a minor for lewd purposes and was arraigned in court on Tuesday, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office confirmed.

Deputies believe there may be other unidentified victims linked to Huerta and are asking that anyone with information relating to this investigation to contact Detective Swanson at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Morongo Basin Station, at (760)366-4175.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME.