Teen who allegedly confessed to molesting dozens of children is arrested

A 18-year-old turned himself in to police Saturday and allegedly confessed to molesting upwards of 50 children during the past eight years in different cities where he had lived, including Riverside, Lakewood and Buena Park.

The arrest came after the suspect’s mother told police that her son admitted to recently sexually assaulting an 8-year-old male and a 4-year-old male that he befriended at a motel in the 9800 block of Magnolia Avenue in Riverside, said Officer Ryan Railsback, of the Riverside Police Department.

The children had been staying in the motel with their parents but had been allowed to go into his room, where the molestation occurred, he said.

After speaking with investigators, the suspect’s mother drove him to the Magnolia police station, where he was taken into custody.

During an interview with officers, Joseph Hayden Boston, 18, of Lakewood allegedly confessed to the motel molestations and additionally to molesting up to 50 children since the age of 10 in different cities where he had lived, Railsback said.

“The suspect has been staying in Riverside since early Nov. 2017, but also resided in the cities of Lakewood and Buena Park in Southern California,” Railsback said.

Boston was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of two counts of oral copulation on a child under the age of 10. He remained jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

The County of Riverside Child Protective Services took custody of both juvenile victims, Railsback said.

An investigation was ongoing and police believe other children who have not yet come forward may have been victimized.

Police urged anyone who may have information about the suspect to contact Detective Paul Miranda at 951-353-7945.