Photo: Javier Ortiz Pichardo
SANTA ANA – A child abuse victim, now an adult, recently saw her abuser at McDonald’s. She then copied the suspect’s license plate number and called the police.
The now 26-year-old woman set in motion a series of events that led to 45-year-old Javier Ortiz Pichardo‘s arrest.
This story begins back in 1999. Pichardo worked as a cook at the New China Restaurant. The restaurant closed in 2004, and perhaps Pichardo thought responsibility for his actions ended as well.
a seven-year-old girl came regularly to the restaurant with her family. Pichardo molested the girl in the restaurant bathroom, then befriended the family and gave them free food. This “gained the family’s trust.”
This developed into a relationship in which the family allowed Pichardo to pick up the victim from her school. His abusive behavior then continued for the next seven years.
When the victim turned 14-year-old the abuse ended, and then “the victim’s family lost contact with Pichardo.”
Now, in 2018, detectives began their investigation. It turns out that Pichardo figured as a suspect in a child annoyance investigation in Costa Mesa in 2002. In addition, he faced a child molestation accusation in 2002 in Costa Mesa.
However, as neither case offered arrestable proof, law enforcement never arrested the suspect.
In contrast, on August 28, detectives arrested Pichardo. Even more, it turns out the suspect also had been molesting a family member for 10 years.
Pichardo confessed to the family member’s abuse, as well as that of the victim from the restaurant.
The press release adds, “Detectives are looking into the cases from Costa Mesa in 2002 and Santa Ana in 2012. Pichardo could face additional charges.”
The suspect faces multiple child abuse charges. His bail is $1,000,000.
“SAPD Detectives believe there may be additional victims. They ask anyone with information to contact Detective Jessica Guidry at 714-245-8530, jguidry@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.”
