TEMECULA: Man arrested after alleged sex acts with 13-year-old boy in public library

TEMECULA – Sheriff’s investigators arrested a man Thursday, Feb. 9, after he allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a teenage boy. The multiple sex-related charges stemmed from an incident that allegedly happened inside a restroom at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library on the 30000 block of Pauba Road in Temecula.

After an investigation, authorities arrested Garrett Christian Gooch, 20, of Temecula.

He was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of three felony counts of oral copulation with a minor and one felony count of attempted sodomy with a minor, according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Steve Fredericks. Gooch was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child.

The investigation began after authorities from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Temecula Police Station were notified regarding allegations of an unknown male adult who had illegal sexual contact with the thirteen-year-old boy.

Officials have not identified the victim due to his age.

Their investigation revealed that the suspect, who was later identified as Gooch, “contacted the victim through a popular social media application and arranged to meet the victim in a public restroom on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 4,” Fredericks explained in a press release after the investigation and arrest.

During their investigation, authorities located evidence related to the alleged crimes and identified Gooch as the man who had allegedly lured the boy to the library to engage in sexual acts.

With assistance from the Temecula Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team, sheriff’s officials located, interviewed and later arrested Gooch.

After the investigation and Gooch’s arrest, Fredericks cautioned parents, writing, “The Temecula Police Department would like to remind parents to be especially vigilant of their children’s internet activity, keeping in mind that younger children can be very vulnerable to adult predators.”

“Advances in technology and communication have yielded many different forms of easily accessible social media and “chat” type applications that often facilitate the behaviors of sexual predators,” said Fredericks.

An online jail records search revealed Gooch was released the day after his arrest after posting $10,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta March 3.

The investigation is still active and ongoing and sheriff’s officials are looking for any other minors Gooch may have victimized.

If anyone has information about this incident, or suspicions of inappropriate relationships or contact between Gooch and young children, they are urged to immediately contact Temecula Police Detective Franchville at (951) 696-3000. Callers can refer to incident file number TE170390290 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.