Menifee man arrested for alleged lewd acts with child

By Doug Spoon, Editor

As the result of a recent investigation, Menifee Police detectives on Wednesday arrested 73-year-old Menifee resident Raymundo Ricardo Valenzuela on charges of lewd acts against a child that allegedly occurred nine years ago.

“The victim recently came forward, prompting an investigation that led to the identification of additional victims,” said Menifee PD Public Information Officer Chase Coburn on Thursday. “This ultimately led to the arrest of Valenzuela.”

Court records show that all the charges filed this week are related to an incident the victim said occurred on Dec. 14, 2016. Felony charges include sexual penetration with a foreign object and lewd acts with a child under 14.

Coburn acknowledged that the arrest was made after additional victims were identified. She did not disclose when or where those crimes allegedly occurred, adding that “these incidents are believed to be isolated, with no evidence of other victims in Menifee involving Valenzuela.”

Coburn continued, “Due to the sensitive nature of this case, we have chosen not to share additional details regarding the charges to help protect those who came forward.”

Jail records show that Valenzuela was arrested on Baywood Street in Lake Elsinore and is being held at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta. Bail is set at $1 million. He is due in court in Murrieta on Friday.