Search On for Woman Who May Have Taken Girls to Suspected Molester

SANTA CLARITA —  Authorities tried to determine the identity Thursday of a woman who may have delivered girls to an accused child molester in Castaic.

The allegations were made by 50-year-old Daniel Larson, who told investigators a female friend--whom he refused to name--brought girls from Northridge and Canoga Park to have sex with him, a sheriff’s official said. Larson pleaded not guilty this week to 32 counts of oral copulation and having sex with girls between the ages of 5 and 7.

Larson, who is being held in lieu of $1.8 million bail, told investigators the woman charged him a fee for finding the girls, and she shared the money with the victims’ families, said Sgt. Mike Becker of the family crimes unit with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“If the story he is telling us is true--that she arranged girls for him--she’s got to be doing it for others,” Becker said. “She’s probably making a living doing this. We’re checking with other units in the city to see if anyone else has heard of anything like it.”

Each encounter cost Larson from $200 to $300, Becker said.

Authorities believe much of what Larson said because he provided them with information that led to the charges filed against him, they said. But they also believe he knows the woman’s name.

“He said they always dealt in false names,” Becker said. “I have a hunch that, if you did this kind of business with somebody this many times, you know them quite well.”

The department was checking Larson’s phone records and interviewing victims’ families.

This is the first case handled by the family crimes unit involving child molestation accusations and adults trading money for sex in “what amounts to a child prostitution ring,” Becker said.

A preliminary hearing for Larson is scheduled Sept. 18. If convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison for each count.