Man charged with molesting relative at F.V. furniture store

A Southern California man has been charged with molesting a young female relative of his in the Fountain Valley furniture store that he owns and operates, law enforcement officials said.

Jaime Gonazlez, 75, faces a felony count of lewd acts on a child, according to a joint statement from Fountain Valley police and the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Gonzalez is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. Prosecutors said, if convicted, he could be sentenced to eight years in state prison and have to register as a lifetime sex offender.

On Nov. 4, officials said, several of Gonzalez’s family members were visiting his Fountain Valley shop, among them a girl younger than 14. Gonzalez is accused of taking the girl to a secluded area of the store and molesting her. The girl told her family of the alleged incident immediately after, officials said.

Now, law enforcement officials in Orange County are investigating to see if Gonzalez could have potentially molested or assaulted others.

Officials said Gonzalez, who lives in La Verne, had previously lived in Covina and Corpus Christi, Texas.

Those with any information are encouraged to contact Jesse Hughes of the Fountain Valley Police Department at (714) 593-4480 or district attorney’s investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.

This story was reported by Times Staff Writer Rick Rojas.