Lake Elsinore man arrested for sexual abuse of juvenile

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif., — Authorities today announced the arrest of a Lake Elsinore man in connection with an investigation into the sexual abuse of a juvenile.

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Earlier this month, the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station Investigations Bureau began an investigation into allegations of sexual assault against a juvenile, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Jeff Reese has since reported.

The abuse allegations involved a man identified as Thomas Hernandez, a 27-year-old resident of Lake Elsinore, according to Reese, who did not release the age or gender of the victim alleging the abuse.

As their investigation continued on Thursday, May 12, Sheriff’s investigators, along with members of the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team (SET) and patrol deputies, arrested Hernandez at his Lake Elsinore residence on Westlynn Drive, northwest of Laguna Avenue and Dreycott Way, without incident.

After his arrest, Hernandez was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Banning on suspicion of multiple counts of sexual intercourse with a juvenile, sexual penetration with a foreign object, and child pornography, according to Reese.

Online jail records indicate he was released the day after his arrest, after posting $55,000 bail or bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Southwest Justice Center on August 9th.

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The Sheriff’s investigation is ongoing and anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator Andrade or Deputy Everett at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number L221320042 and can remain anonymous.



Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.