New details on suspect arrested on suspicion of molesting child

News Channel 5 has new information on a man accused of molesting a child at Walmart. Police say it happened Friday evening at the Walmart on North Main Street in Salinas.

Jorge Cervantes, 35 has a record that involves sending and selling of inappropriate material involving children — and he is a registered sex offender. Salinas investigators told News Channel 5 when officers arrived at Walmart parents of the victim claimed that while they were shopping a man posing as a Walmart employee molested their 10-year old daughter. investigators said Cervantes lured the girl into a dressing room at the store and made inappropriate comments — that’s when the girl told them she started to think that Cervantes wasn’t an employee at Walmart and left the dressing room.

Police say Cervantes followed the girl and groped her in one of the aisles — but she was able to get away. Cervantes managed to leave the store but he did turn himself in to police over the weekend.

Commander Vince Maiorana of Salinas police said, “We have detectives currently as we speak out investigating this case speaking with witnesses and also more information from the victim in this case.”

Maiorana said that the inappropriate touching was caught on Walmart surveillance.

In 2011, Cervantes resigned from his job with the Monterey County Office of Education. MCOE said there are no allegations of misconduct from any former students during the time Cervantes worked there. They say they are not investigating anything regarding him at this time.

Cervantes is in the Monterey County Jail on $1million bail.