THHS Girl Assaulted, Men Charged, Cops Seek More Victims

By City News Service

Two men were charged Monday with sexually assaulting a Trabuco Hills High School girl, and the Orange County Sheriff's Department is looking for more victims.

Both men are from Anaheim, and appear to have a history of working together to allegedly target prey.

Benjamin Avila, 27, was arraigned on eight counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.

Jose Luis Gonzalez, 61, of Anaheim, will face a dozen counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor. Eight counts stem from this case, four are related to a violation that took place April 1, 1998, according to Orange County Superior Court records. 

According to Orange County Sheriff Lt. Jeff Hallock, a "concerned parent" told a school resource officer at Trabuco Hills High about an alleged "inappropriate relationship" between the 13-year-old girl and a man; the girl subsequently told investigators she had an ongoing "sexual relationship" with a "boyfriend" named Alex Valesquez, who authorities later determined to be Avila.

The girl told investigators she also had sex with another man, who she knew as "Alex's uncle," who was later identified as Gonzalez.

The alleged sex acts occurred between March and September, Hallock said text messages between the girl and Avila appear to "implicate" Gonzalez.

Some of the charges against Gonzalez, the older man, date back to April 1998, indicating another alleged victim; the Trabuco Hills girl wasn't even born at that time.

Gonzalez was accused of molesting a girl younger than 10 in 2000, but the case was later dismissed, Hallock said. 

Digital communication between Avila and Gonzalez indicate the two "together targeted and met other females for sex," so investigators are concerned there may be more victims, Hallock said. 

Avila's bail has been set at $100,000. Gonzalez's bail stands at $1 million.

If convicted, Avila faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in state prison and Gonzalez faces a maximum sentence of 180 years to life in state prison, prosecutors say. Both men also face mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. 

Anyone with information is asked to call sheriff deputies at 714-647-7000 or witnesses may make anonymous tips by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.