El Toro Man Accused of Luring Girls With Drugs

A wealthy 53-year-old El Toro man was arrested Friday on charges that he has been using cocaine, alcohol and marijuana to lure “numerous” teen-age girls into his home for the purpose of having sex with them, Orange County sheriff’s investigators said.

Felix Florencio Maron was arrested at his home at 25115 Sleepy Hollow Terrace shortly before noon and was booked into the Orange County Jail on 99 charges involving providing cocaine or sexually molesting minors. He is being held without bail pending his arraignment Tuesday in Central Orange County Municipal Court.

Investigators have spoken with four girls ranging in age from 14 to 16 who said they were victimized by Maron, but detectives believe “numerous” others were enticed into the man’s home for sexual purposes, Sheriff’s Sgt. Randy Blair said Friday.

The arrest concluded a 3-week investigation into allegations from neighbors that Maron was giving the girls cocaine in exchange for sex. When asked how long the alleged activities may have been taking place, Blair said, “We really don’t know.”

The father of one of the alleged victims, who asked that he remain anonymous, said he learned his daughter had been visiting Maron’s home six weeks ago, when he intercepted a letter she had written to a friend.

The girl has since been hospitalized because of emotional problems stemming from her activities with Maron, the father said.

“We’ve been living a nightmare for six weeks,” he said. “It’s been very painful, for her and for us. But she’s been pretty brave. We’re proud of her.”

Another neighbor, Ronald Higuera, said residents along Sleepy Hollow Terrace became suspicious of Maron several months ago, when they began noticing young girls “going in and out of that place.”

“I’m concerned about Mr. Maron,” Higuera said. “There’s a lot of young girls in this neighborhood. At least we know he’s in jail.”

Maron, who investigators said owns several pieces of property and “a couple of engineering firms” in Los Angeles, refused to make a statement when he was taken into custody, Blair said. Investigators and neighbors said Maron separated from his wife about three years ago and lives alone.

Detectives found a “small quantity” of cocaine in the house, Blair said. He said “other evidence” was taken from the home but declined to elaborate.

The father said a friend of his daughter was unwittingly instrumental in encouraging other girls to visit Maron’s home.

“It was the attraction of the drugs and the peer pressure and the fear that caused all this. You get the first one (girl) and the others seem to follow. A lot of friends of my daughter were doing this.”