Full Notification

When:            Wednesday, April 13, 2016 between 12:00 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Where:           Santa Clarita Station (front entrance)

                        23740 Magic Mountain Parkway

                        Valencia, CA  

Who:              Special Victims Bureau – Sergeant Brian Hudson

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying potential sexual assault victims in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

Early in 2016, Detectives began investigating allegations that the suspects in this case were involved in the molestation of several children at several locations in the Santa Clarita Valley area.  On Thursday, March 31, 2016, Detectives arrested the suspects during the service of a search warrant at their residence in Santa Clarita. 

On April 4, 2016, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed numerous felony counts of Lewd Acts with a Child against Suspect Francisco Avendano, 42.  He is currently in custody with bail set at $2,020,000.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office also filed charges of Lewd Acts with a Child against Suspect Jacqueline Wadsworth, 32.  She is currently in custody with bail set at $220,000.

Based on information developed over the course of this investigation, Detectives believe that there are other children that may have potentially been sexually assaulted by these suspects during the past ten years. 

Anyone who may have additional information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-5273.  If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Written By:

Brian Hudson, Sergeant

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Special Victims Bureau

Forwarded By:

Sara Rodriguez, Deputy

Sheriff’s Information Bureau – Newsroom

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department 

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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department