Valley Man Denies Molesting Boys

A man accused of providing marijuana and alcohol to teenage boys at his Agoura Hills home and of molesting some of the youngsters while filming others in pornographic videos, pleaded not guilty Friday to scores of felony and misdemeanor counts.

Peter Richard Castillo, 50, was arraigned on 92 counts in Malibu Superior Court, including felony charges of using a minor for sex acts, oral copulation of a person younger than 18 and furnishing marijuana to a minor.

The misdemeanor charges include contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child.

Judge Lawrence Mira set Sept. 4 to decide a date for a preliminary hearing for Castillo, who often drew the ire of neighbors for throwing loud parties for teenagers.

Castillo, who is being held in lieu of $2.6-million bail, faces a maximum of 30 years in state prison if convicted on all charges.

He was arraigned with Daniel Cleaver, 19, also of Agoura Hills, who prosecutors allege helped Castillo make the videos.

Cleaver was charged with six counts -- three felony counts of using a minor for sex acts and three misdemeanor counts of sexual exploitation of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

He also pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He faces a possible four years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Los Angeles sheriff’s detectives arrested the men on July 28.

Several neighbors on Rock Tree Drive said they were pleased that Castillo was in custody. They spoke of loud, nightly parties in his garage, where as many as a dozen teenagers would gather to play loud music and get high. The boys would race their cars up the normally quiet street of well-kept, middle-class homes.

The neighbors and a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier said the parties ceased about two months ago. By then, however, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were investigating Castillo, authorities said.

“It was a whole creepy situation that was going on for so long,” said Kristin Elliot, who lives across the street from Castillo. “He was a friendly guy, but I think everybody here is very happy he’s gone.”

Elliot said Castillo would dress like a teenager, wearing baggy shorts and T-shirts.

Until two months ago, Elliot said there were parties nearly every day, and even Castillo said they were wearing him out.

“He told me one time, ‘I got to stop having so many parties,’ ” Elliot said.

Another neighbor said he was glad to hear Castillo and the teenagers weren’t around. “They bothered everybody,” said Vladimir Zlatkov. “They would race up this street going 40 mph.... Good news they’re gone.”

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Times staff writer Michael Krikorian contributed to this report.