On December 9, 29-year-old Steven Jourdan Castro was arrested in Orange County on multiple felony sex charges involving a minor. According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the charges include distribution of harmful matter to a minor, contact with a minor with intent to commit lewd acts, arranging to meet a minor for lewd purposes, and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor by soliciting images.
The allegations arose after Castro, a freelance photographer who had been working at Pacifica High School, was reported to have engaged in grooming and inappropriate communication with a female student over a period of months. The investigation was triggered in November when the victim's parents discovered the troubling communications and promptly reported them to law enforcement. Castro is known to frequently work at various high schools across north Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley, which has led investigators to now consider the possibility that he may have tried to similarly target other minors during his photographic assignments.
Facing serious legal consequences, Castro has been booked into Orange County Jail. In a move to identify any additional victims and solidify their case, investigators from Special Victims Detail (SVD) are actively reaching out to the community for information. The Sheriff's department has made a direct plea: "Anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may have been a victim, is urged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Detail."
Following the arrest, the Sheriff's Department emphasized that due to Castro's extensive access to minors, the scope of the investigation may potentially widen. With the call for additional victims to step forward, law enforcement hopes to prevent further possible incidents and to ensure that justice is appropriately served. For anyone wishing to provide information anonymously, they can contact Orange County Crime Stoppers.
