A 37-year-old Southern California man is now facing the smoldering reality of the criminal justice system after being arrested for using social media to prey on minors, some as young as 12 years old, by allegedly offering them drugs and alcohol in exchange for sex. The Burbank Police Department, along with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), took Saul Alfaro into custody after a weeks-long investigation revealed his distasteful interactions with minors throughout the Southland.
Authorities have promptly gone public with information about Alfaro, encouraging any additional victims to bravely come forward. The suspect allegedly used several pseudonyms online, including "mr_jointz" and "hugediktaylr", to weave a misleading web meant to deceptively lure young children. To thoroughly uncover the scope of Alfaro’s activities, law enforcement released his photo, as reported by KTLA.
The William S. Hart Union High School District has been caught up amid this vile entanglement, as two of their students may be among the victims, which the district's email to parents has confirmed. The Burbank Police and HSI seek to dismantle any threads of this predatory network and have issued a call to action to the public to assist by flagging any information related to Alfaro to ensure no silent sufferers remain in the shadows.
The investigation into Alfaro's conduct is being spearheaded by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a coalition to which the Burbank Police Department and HSI are contributors. Officials are urging anyone with information not to hesitate to contact the Burbank Police Department at 818-238-3210 or the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423 and reference the "Saul Alfaro Investigation." Details about the arrest and the ongoing call for public assistance have been outlined in a news release from the Burbank Police Department.
