What started as one strange arrest at a Hillsboro Target has turned into a sprawling sex-crimes case that prosecutors say now stretches back years and involves dozens of women and girls across Washington County.
Washington County prosecutors say 23-year-old Cedric Jewel Valdez is now facing 41 criminal counts after his January arrest. They told a judge that investigators have identified 79 people who had contact with him, including 31 who are considered potential sex-abuse victims. Valdez remains in custody on $100,000 bail, and the judge has set his trial for Aug. 3.
Prosecutors said in court that the number of possible victims keeps climbing and that those identified so far range in age from 14 to 47, according to KPTV. One woman, speaking to the court through a translator, said she still fears for her safety and that the encounter has disrupted her sleep and work life. The Washington County District Attorney's Office is urging anyone who believes they were targeted to contact Hillsboro police and reference case number 25-25537.
How Prosecutors Say the Scheme Worked
Court records outline a pattern that prosecutors say played out in parking lots and public spaces around the county. According to those documents, Valdez allegedly approached women in public areas, claimed he was a reflexology or massage student and said he needed help testing a “project.” Prosecutors say he then led women to cars, took off their socks and rubbed their feet.
In some instances, court filings allege, the encounters escalated to smelling, kissing or licking the victims' feet. Valdez later admitted to police that he was not a student at all and claimed he had been running the same scheme for about five years, as detailed by KATU.
Where Investigators Say It Happened
Investigators say the alleged incidents did not center on one single hotspot but instead unfolded across a string of everyday locations in Washington County. The reported sites include Sunset Esplanade, a Hillsboro Planet Fitness, a Goodwill store on Southeast Century Boulevard and Washington Square Mall in Tigard, according to KPTV.
Valdez was arrested on Jan. 17 inside the Target at Sunset Esplanade, located at 2295 SE Tualatin Valley Highway. That arrest was first reported by KOIN.
Court Proceedings and What Comes Next
In court, prosecutors said a search of Valdez's digital devices uncovered images and information tied to dozens more unidentified females who appeared to have similar contact with him. They also told the judge that Valdez has an outstanding warrant in Fresno related to a 14-year-old, according to KATU.
Defense attorneys asked the court to release Valdez before trial, but the judge denied that request absent strict conditions. If he is released, the judge said Valdez would be required to wear a GPS monitor and remain under house arrest.
The District Attorney's Office says the investigation is still active and that more people may come forward as word of the case spreads.
