Felony Charges Expected Against Man Suspected of Molesting Elsinore Child

MURRIETA (CNS) – Felony charges are expected to be filed Tuesday against a 51-year-old man suspected of molesting a Lake Elsinore girl. Victor Saragusa Morones of Temecula was arrested Thursday following a roughly two-month-long Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation. Morones was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old and annoying a minor. He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. The case was under review by the District Attorney’s Office Monday. According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Reese, deputies initiated an investigation in November after receiving information that Morones had allegedly engaged in illicit acts involving the victim, whose identity was not released. Sufficient evidence was ultimately gathered to justify an arrest warrant for the suspect, who was taken into custody without incident in the 28000 block of Old Town Front Street in Temecula Thursday morning, Reese said. The circumstances behind the alleged molestation, including Morones’ relationship, if any, to the child were not disclosed. Background information on the suspect also was unavailable. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.