Authorities are looking for more possible victims of a 37-year-old man who allegedly used social media platforms to offer alcohol and drugs to minors in Southern California in exchange for sex, police said.
Saul Alfaro from Panorama City was arrested Tuesday following a weeks-long joint investigation between the United States Department of Homeland Security’s investigation unit in Los Angeles and the Burbank Police Department. He was booked on a federal charge for allegedly attempting to entice a minor for sexual activities, police said.
Alfaro allegedly created online accounts on Instagram and Snapchat to contact several minors, some as young as 12 years old, across Southern California, said Public Information Officer Stephen Turner. Alfaro is suspected to have used the following usernames: mr_jointz, val.91503836, 8o5_joeyy, scv_joeyy1, kim.9120123, mia.7477289 and cfs3.99771776.
Turner said Alfaro ran the social media accounts for more than a year before his arrest. It was not made clear if Alfaro made any in-person contact with minors. Turner said more victims have come forward as of Wednesday.
School officials at William S. Hart Union High School District in Santa Clarita notified parents that two of its students may be among the victims, according to an email obtained by KTLA 5. The email said Alfaro offered alcohol and drugs as a way to entice minors.
Superintendent Michael Vierra said in a statement that any contact Alfaro may have made with the minors was not done through school-issued devices or the school’s network.
“While we do not yet know the full scope of this matter, we understand that the suspect may have targeted young people in multiple communities,” Vierra said. “Our district continuously educates students on responsible online behavior and works closely with parents, staff, and law enforcement to address emerging digital threats.”
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, which collaborates with the school district to provide outreach on student safety, told the Santa Clarita Signal Tuesday that it will cooperate with the investigation although the case is outside of its jurisdiction.
The investigation being conducted by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a national network aiding state and local law enforcement agencies focusing on online sex crimes against children, is active and ongoing.
Authorities encourage other victims to come forward. Anyone with information about Alfaro can contact the Burbank Police Department at (818) 238-3210, or HSI Tip Line, at (866) 347-2423, and reference the “Saul Alfaro investigation.”
