Yesterday, the Santa Rosa Police Department announced the arrest of a 26-year-old man identified as Baruc Ojeda-Ballesteros on multiple counts of statutory rape, following the identification of additional victims. The arrest, made by the department's Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Team (DVSA), stemmed from an investigation into Ojeda-Ballesteros's relationships with underage girls. Ojeda-Ballesteros was taken into custody after a traffic stop in Santa Rosa.
Initially detained in February after detectives discovered his involvement with a 16-year-old girl, the subsequent forensic search of Ojeda-Ballesteros's cell phone revealed a more disturbing pattern. The phone contained illicit images and videos, along with sexually explicit communications with multiple young teens. According to the Santa Rosa Police social media post, additional victims ranged from 13 to 14 years old.
The intensity of the investigation escalated as forensic interviews and evidence analysis by detectives confirmed that Ojeda-Ballesteros had committed numerous sexual acts with minors, including rape by force or fear, and had child pornography. At the time of his arrest on W. Eighth Street, the Santa Rosa man was also carrying a loaded handgun in his vehicle, leading to an additional firearms charge.
Ojeda-Ballesteros is now facing 28 felony charges related to these heinous acts, alongside a count for carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle, as noted in the police's public statement. As stated in the department's report, all the alleged crimes are believed to have occurred in Sonoma County, impacting young residents from Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Detectives emphasized their ongoing commitment to uncovering the full scope of Ojeda-Ballesteros's inappropriate contact with minors as the investigation continues.
The SRPD urges anyone with information about these incidents to contact the DVSA team. Resources for families affected by such crimes were also highlighted, with the Family Justice Center and the YWCA offering support and counseling services.
