A 75-year-old Sacramento County man is behind bars on $1 million bail after a mother told authorities her 13-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted by a family member, according to sheriff's detectives. The suspect, identified as Larry Candies, was arrested this week as investigators dig into what they say are earlier allegations that surfaced during the probe.
Arrest and charges
In a statement posted on X, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said detectives with the Major Crimes Bureau arrested Candies on March 25 after securing an arrest warrant. He is facing eight counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, according to the post.
The sheriff's statement notes that Candies was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, where his bail was set at $1,000,000. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 27, the office said.
Allegations and investigation
According to the same post, the investigation began after the girl's mother reported the assault in September 2025. The minor later described the abuse during an interview at the Family Justice Center in Modesto, the sheriff's office said.
Detectives said the victim told them Candies had been molesting her since she was about 11 years old. The statement adds that investigators believe there are additional victims who have not yet reported their abuse and that prior sexual-assault allegations were uncovered during the review.
Legal context
Under California law, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 are felony offenses that involve willful touching with the intent to arouse and do not require contact with an intimate part of the child's body, according to the Judicial Council of California's criminal jury instructions. Those instructions outline the elements prosecutors must prove in court and guide how juries are directed in such cases.
As in all criminal matters, the case against Candies consists of allegations at this stage, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
How to help
Investigators are urging anyone with information to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Child Abuse Bureau at (916) 875-5191 or by email at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Sheriff's Office website or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477), according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives say they hope potential survivors or witnesses will come forward so they can continue to follow up on the case.
