Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies arrested a 21-year-old Canyon Country man on suspicion of two sex crimes after responding to a domestic disturbance and then investigating claims of infidelity that involved a minor and a sex tape, according to officials.
Due to the age of the alleged victim, who is under 18, the allegations are being investigated by detectives with the Special Victims Unit of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
The investigation began after deputies were called out to the home where a couple was arguing, according to Sgt. Brian Hudson of the LASD Special Victims Unit in a phone interview Thursday.
“When deputies get there, the girlfriend tells them she was having a verbal argument with the suspect regarding him being unfaithful, and that he was having an affair with a minor.”
The suspect’s girlfriend, about his age, according to officials, found out her boyfriend had a sexual relationship with a girl who was 17.
Deputies then investigated the reported relationship between the suspect and the juvenile, Hudson said, interviewing the suspect and the minor at the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
During their interviews, deputies confirmed there was a monthslong relationship between the suspect and the victim, and the suspect had recorded one sexual encounter with the victim, a copy of which was obtained by deputies through their investigation, Hudson said.
After deputies obtained the video, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of two charges, possession of obscene matter depicting a minor and California Penal Code section 261.5(a), which is also known as statutory rape.
He is still being held at the SCV Sheriff’s Station, where he was booked 10 p.m. Wednesday and held with no bail amount listed, according to the Sheriff’s Department’s custody records available online. He’s expected in court Friday.
California state law makes it illegal for any person under the age of 18 to give legal consent to have sex with anyone over 18. The suspect in this case was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge because the age difference was more than three years, according to the initial report.
The case is still under investigation before it’s expected to be presented to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office for the consideration of charges.
The suspect’s identity is public information. However, The Signal is withholding his name pending the filing of criminal charges by the DA’s office.
