San Luis Obispo police arrested a former resident on suspicion of 22 felony counts of child sexual abuse.
Police say their investigation started in 2018 when they received a report that a 10-year-old girl had been sexually abused at an unlicensed daycare being run out of a home in the 1200 block of Coral St.
The child reportedly told investigators that a man who lived at the home, Pablo Reyna-Esparza, abused her and that the crimes occurred in 2016.
Police say they interviewed Reyna-Esparza and he denied the allegations. Shortly after the interview, they say he disappeared and was believed to have fled to Mexico.
Police say they didn't have enough evidence at that time to file charges against him, but in 2022, two more girls came forward to report that they also were abused by Reyna-Esparza when they were in daycare in 2016. The children were reportedly 5 and 10 years old at the time of the alleged abuse.
According to police, detectives were then able to locate a fourth victim who was allegedly abused when she was 11 years old.
Police then requested criminal filings of sexual abuse charges against Reyna-Esparza and got a felony warrant for his arrest.
According to police, Reyna-Esparza was arrested on May 8, 2023, while crossing the southern border from Mexico into California.
Reyna-Esparza, now 78, is being held at the San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $12.6 million.
Police say there could be additional victims. They are asking anyone with further information about this case to contact SLOPD Detective Caleb McCornack at (805) 783-7757.
