A sex offender suspected of posing as a minor to meet underage girls for sex is in custody but investigators believe there may be additional victims.
Deputies took a lewd acts report against Rancho Cucamonga resident Joaquin Cazares in December 2023 and learned he was a registered sex offender already in custody on an unrelated charge in Los Angeles County.
“The investigation revealed Cazares was posing as a juvenile male on social media and meeting female minors with the intent of engaging in sexual activity,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release Friday.
A warrant was issued against Cazares once detectives substantiated the lewd acts allegations, according to the release.
“Based on the information collected, detectives believed there was a possibility of additional victims and over a two-month period, they identified multiple other victims,” the Sherrif’s Department stated.
Investigators also released Cazares’ photograph and his Instagram username, joaquinlmao, to help any unidentified victims come forward.