D.A. seeks possible additional victims in sexual assault case

Orange County prosecutors are asking the public’s help to identify potential victims of a Huntington Beach man who was charged Thursday with sexually assaulting two girls under 10 years old.

Gualberto Torres-Vargas, 37, was charged by the Orange County district attorney’s office with three counts of sexual intercourse with a child 10 years old or younger, five counts of oral sex or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger, two counts of committing a lewd act upon a child under 14 years old and a sentencing enhancement alleging the defendant of committing lewd acts on multiple victims, according to the D.A.’s office.

If convicted, Torres-Vargas faces a maximum sentence of 175 years to life in state prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.

During the time of the alleged crimes, Torres-Vargas worked as a clown on the weekends. However, officials said he did not meet the two girls while he was working.

Officials have accused Torres-Vargas of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl between Nov. 1, 2014, and Nov. 9, 2015. During the same time, prosecutors are accusing him of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, according to the district attorney’s office.

The 9-year-old girl allegedly told her mother that Torres-Vargas had assaulted her. Her mother notified Huntington Beach police, who arrested the defendant on Nov. 19.

Anyone with additional information regarding the case can call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Mark Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.

— Anthony Clark Carpio