A disturbing series of incidents in Santa Ana has led to the arrest of a 30-year-old registered sex offender, Moises Hernandez. According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Hernandez faces multiple charges including sexual penetration by force and indecent exposure following two separate attacks within an hour on June 4, 2024.
The first incident involved two 15-year-old girls who were approached by Hernandez on his bike as he exposed himself. Despite attempting to swiftly escape, the teenagers were chased, and one of them was groped as she tried to quickly run away. Not long after, Hernandez proceeded to sexually assault a mother of two in front of her young children. In a brazen daylight attack, he is also accused of grabbing the woman's 5-year-old daughter by the neck. These frightening events unfolded near the bustling streets of Bristol Street and McFadden Avenue.
Hernandez, from Costa Mesa, was apprehended shortly after by the Santa Ana Police Department. The serious nature of these charges is underscored by his previous convictions, which include two counts of indecent exposure and sexual battery. As a result, Hernandez could face up to 20 years in state prison if convicted on all the current counts against him.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer made clear the gravity of the situation, saying, "Sexual predators will never stop preying on vulnerable victims for their own twisted pleasures until they are to be arrested." Spitzer stressed that the safety of mothers and teenagers is paramount and that these types of predators must be taken off the streets promptly.
Deputy District Attorney Austin Neiman of the Sexual Assault Unit is handling the prosecution of this case. The community of Santa Ana has been left shaken by these events, with local authorities urging vigilance and reaffirming their commitment to public safety in the wake of these attacks.
